Cooking community — A recipe for connection

Cooking community — A recipe for connection

From Every Bite by ABC Australia

March 6, 2026 · 29 min

About this episode

This episode explores the role of community cookbooks in connecting people and preserving cultural history through shared recipes.

Who doesn't love a passionfruit sponge, jam roly-poly or nice fluffy scone? Many of these classic recipes have been shared via community cookbooks, compiled by community groups and sold to raise funds for different causes and organisations. These books can become time capsules, revealing much about the social and political fabric of a community at a particular point in time. Guests: Liz Harfull, author of Tried, Tested and True: Treasured recipes and untold stories from Australia's community Cookbooks Sheralee Menz & Marieka Ashmore, 'Those Barossa Girls', authors of Rolling Up Their Sleeves: The Recipes and the Women Behind the Barossa Cookery Book This episode was originally broadcast on July 19, 2025. Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at everybite@abc.net.au This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

People in this episode

Guests: Liz Harfull, Sheralee Menz, Marieka Ashmore

Topics covered

  • community cookbooks
  • recipes
  • cooking
  • social history
  • fundraising
  • cultural heritage

Keywords

  • community cookbooks
  • passionfruit sponge
  • jam roly-poly
  • scones
  • social fabric
  • fundraising
  • cooking history

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Tried, Tested and True: Treasured recipes and untold stories from Australia's community Cookbooks, Rolling Up Their Sleeves: The Recipes and the Women Behind the Barossa Cookery Book

Places: Australia, Wurundjeri, Kulin Nation

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