Steph Beck: Historical Gastronomer

Stephanie Beck, Jaffa Orange: The German Palestinian Australian Cookbook of the Temple Society, (2015), 256pp.

Stephanie Beck, "Community Project Beginnings," History Matters, (9 September 2015)

Stephanie Beck, "Quarantine Station Field Trip," History Matters, (9 September 2015)

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From the "Introduction" to Jaffa Orange...

One of my favourite recipes in this collection is Mushamsh Leder; mushamsh being the Arabic word for apricot, leder the German word for leather. Although a fairly standard recipe for dried and pressed apricots, the name given to it is entirely unique to the Temple Society. 

It is this uniqueness; the combining of German, Palestinian and Australian cuisine, which I hoped to capture in this cookbook. From their South German, Swabian origins, to their settlement in Palestine and then Australia, the Templers cuisine has changed and evolved along this journey. As a result, culinary history acts as a lens through which we can understand the broader social, cultural and even political history of the society. 

The idea to document this history in a cookbook arose from this guiding principle. Food has been and remains at the forefront of Templer memory, history and industry; from the earliest vineyards and Jaffa Orange groves in the agricultural settlments in Palestine, through to the food companies established in Australia. Food sparks discussion and debate at every turn; over lunch, at meetings, in church, and also created an affinity between  community members who share recipes and cook for one another. 

Interestingly, by depicting history as a culinary journey, the stories, anecdotes and information provided throughout the book mostly come from the women of the Temple Society, or from the mothers, grandmothers and aunts of current members. This book was inspired by my own Templer great-grandmother, Elsa Beck. In many ways, this culinary approach serves to show a bottom up social history, told from the smallest household and family units, and from the historical domain of housewives, homemakers and mothers. 

Cooking was so commonplace; an everyday activity shaped by necessity and often, practicality. Trying to find photos of food being prepared and eaten proved impossible, as food photography was simply not considered worthwhile or 

interesting. Luckily, I was able to embellish and enrich this book with photos of the settlements and their surrounds, the stunning Templer Tapestry which dedicated a large amount of space to depicting food and photos of the Templers themselves. 

When I spoke to people about my project, I realised how few people had heard of the Templers, and everyone understandably wanted to know more about the German Australians who had travelled here from Palestine. I hope this book sheds light on the wonderful community of people who make up the Temple Society, and introduces you to the incredible journey the Templers went through before being able to call Australia home. Lastly, I hope you’ll be inspired to cook this one-of-a-kind cuisine. 

— STEPH