Sami’s Blog – Recipe Wars

When my Mother-in-law cooks her famous Betty Burgers, everyone comes running to eat them. They are seriously revered with awe and devoured with gusto because they are delicious.

Betty is an icon for her burgers, with generations of family and dozens of friends whispering in excitement when the trays of burgers come off the BBQ. Oh, I dream of wielding that much power with a humble meat patty. Betty Burgers are steeped in tradition. You have to serve them on fresh white bread and drench them in tomato sauce.

The thing is, Betty not only willingly shares her magical recipe, but she even has the actual ingredients framed in her kitchen as a reminder to all how much we love a Betty Burger to warm our souls. The framed recipe is probably what the family would save if there was a house fire.

You would never guess the cryptic mixture of ingredients in the patties as the list includes red onion, chicken noodle soup mix, and milk. Go figure. But recipes of all types often bring out our pettiness when friends or family ask to copy them. Oscar Wilde said “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” Well, Nagi, of Recipe Tin Eats fame did not think so when she accused Brookie’s Cookies of ripping off her caramel slice recipe.

I must admit the basic bogan in me was loving the battle of the cooking Queens. I know I am a bad person. Millions are made with these power houses cookbooks, so the accusations were startling. I love a bit of drama and grew up with my Mum refusing to share her recipe for her potato salad because it had a secret ingredient of pickle juice. Colonel Sanders has a lot to answer for refusing to reveal his 11 secret herbs and spices and if we knew the vaulted formula for Coca-Cola we would be billionaires.

My friend Kellie laments that her grandmother died with her sloppy peas recipe because she refused to hand it out. Chrissy’s Dad says his pork ribs recipe will be in his will. Soraya says her recipe for chocolate fudge can never leave the bloodline. Michelle shares her shortbread recipe but leaves out a secret way to make it that leads to it being so great.

I get the Nagi/Brooki feud as there are big dollars at stake but it seems many of us are just as passionate about defending family traditions. I say Cmon people, us fudge loving, rib craving souls remind you that sharing is caring. Be more like Betty… or not, says my waistline.