Newsletter # 55 – Australian Cafeterias – Individual Apple Pies
Changes in the food we eat and the way it is prepared and served is a gradual process, but it does indeed change. Cafeterias are a good example of a style of foodservice that stayed around longer than many other styles and fads.
In Australia, cafeterias were driven by the austerity of the great depression and when we talk about cafeterias we invariably think of Coles. Many large stores eventually installed cafeterias but the Coles Variety Store Cafeteria on Bourke Street Melbourne, which opened in 1930, is regarded as the first. It was massive – capable of seating more than 1000 diners and enjoyed a lifespan of 57 years or two and bit generations.
As you might expect, the idea of cafeterias started in the U.S.A in the late 19th century and they quickly became popular. Diners would collect a tray and push the tray along a stainless-steel runner choosing pre-plated sandwiches, salads and desserts while generally main courses and some beverages were served by counter staff. Behind the counter was the kitchen, which often ran the length of the counter. You would then stop at a cashier for payment before finding somewhere to sit and eat your selection. Cafeterias had the ability to move hundreds and possibly thousands of customers through, during a typical lunch service. Wait staff were basically reduced to clearers and cleaners.
Mum was probably more likely to visit a Coles Variety Store Cafeteria because they were the most prevalent, as Coles was (and still is) a national store. Looking back Cole’s appeal was not in the linoleum floors, the crowds, the laminex tables or the noise, it was the fact that it was a wonderland of choice and exceptional value. Naturally many readers of this blog will have happy memories of their visits. A common memory would be mum arriving with the kids and shopping in tow with the first objective being the all important table to eat at. Once that goal was achieved, the shopping and youngest children secured the table while Mum and an older child would join the queue for food.
Coles Bourke Street Cafeteria was built during the Great Depression and menus must have been ‘economical’ and offer what we would now regard as very ordinary food. Cafeterias were generally morning tea/lunch/afternoon tea venues although the Coles Bourke street stores offered a dinner service till 8.00pm during the 1956 Olympic Games.
The Melbourne Olympics’ put Australia on the world stage and menus adapted to changing tastes but you could still rely on cafeterias to offer the obligatory roast and vegies, crumbed sausages and colourful jellies. Yes, crumbed sausages – basically fat and carbohydrates deep fried.
Most of the larger department stores had their own cafeterias with the David Jones stores being very popular in Sydney. If you ate at ‘DJ’s’ as opposed to Coles you were probably a little more well- heeled.
By the 1970’s the American fast-food giants had their eyes on Australia and Australians embraced burgers, pizza and fried chicken. This new style of service meant that you didn’t have to go to a department store to get a cheap feed.
The days when the cafeteria reigned are gone but they still exist in some institutions which the average diner is unlikely to go to, however on my last trip to Ikea at Rhodes in Sydney (which was some years ago) the store operated a popular cafeteria where the menu naturally had a strong Swedish influence.
Reviewing old menus offerings from cafeterias I did not find a lot of inspiration with the most impressive dessert spied being apple pie, so that is what we will bake.
Individual Apple Pies
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble all your ingredients
- Place the flour, sugar and salt in your processor and give it a quick pulse to mix
- Add the cubed butter and intermittently pulse the processor for about 30 seconds
- The mixture should look like course breadcrumbs
- Add the 3 tbsp of chilled water. Process again for up to 10 seconds
- There should be some change, but it won’t look like a ball of dough yet
- With your fingers see if the mixture comes together. If not add a little more iced water and give it a quick pulse
- Turn the mixture out and quickly work into a ball
- Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and chill for one hour
- Assemble ingredients
- Peel and core the apples
- Halve the apples and cut into 6mm slices
- Place the sliced apple, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt and cinnamon in a bowl and mix well
- Let the apple stand for 15 minutes
- Pre heat your oven to 170c
- Spread a single layer of apple and liquid on one or two baking sheets and bake for 15 - 30 minutes until tender, but not mushy
- When the apple is ready, remove from the oven and cool the apple. Drain any juice into a small saucepan
- Add the extra butter to the juice and gently reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency before cooling to room temperature
- Remove the pastry from the refrigerator
- Roll out the pastry to 3 mm thick
- Cut four (oversized) rounds of pastry for the pie bottoms. Retain the scraps of pastry in a ball
- Spray the muffin pan with cooking spray
- Line the muffin pans – gently pushing the pastry into the bottom corners
- Gently prick the pastry base
- Line each one with baking paper and pastry weights
- Bake for 25 minutes before removing the paper and weights
- Paint the inside of the pastry with beaten egg before returning the pastry to the oven for a further 5 minutes
- Remove the pastry shells from the oven and cool slightly
- Roll out the remaining pastry and cut four tops
- Fill the pastry shells with a generous amount of apple and divide the apple syrup evenly over the apple
- Gently paint the rim of the pastry shells and press down the pastry tops
- Paint the pastry tops with beaten egg and cut a couple of breathing holes in each of the pies
- Bake the pies in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown
- When ready let the pies stand for 10 minutes
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or individually chill, wrap and freeze
Notes
