Australian Milk Bar

 

I’ve been reading a lot of Phryne Fisher mysteries, written by Kerry Greenwood. They are all based in Australia in the late 1920s. They include slang from the period and other things I was not familiar with concerning Australia. Fascinating stuff. One thing mentioned in one of the books was a milk bar. I forget what the person in the book was looking for, but she said she would go across the street to the milk bar. I had run across the term “milk bar” many years ago in a book that was based in England. At the time I just thought it was like a Foster Freeze or Dairy Queen. Somewhere you could get dairy drinks.

 

 

This time, though, in the context of this mystery, that was not what it was. I had to look it up. It all started in Australia and later made its way to the UK. It started as a type of suburban general store/deli place/small scale convenience store where you could buy snacks, newspapers, milkshakes, etc. Much later they evolved into places where you could get groceries, hang out, play pin-ball or jukeboxes. 

 

 

When fast food places took over, they became mainly convenience stores. There are still some milk bars in suburban areas that sell dairy products, candy, bread, newspapers, etc.

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Just in case you’re curious…

I recently watched A Clockwork Orange for the first time. The Korova Milk Bar was a very important place there. TOTALLY different from any real milk bar… Bizarre movie… The patrons could purchase “milk plus” in 3 different versions: Vellocet (milk with amphetamines), Synthemesc (milk with synthetic mescaline), Drencom (milk with adrenochrome and hallucinogens). Bad stuff. Do not recommend.

 

Only In Canada – part 1

 

Over the years I’ve heard of food stuffs that are pretty much specific to Canada. Here’s the first batch:

 

Timbits

Popular donut holes you can get at the Canadian coffee chain Tim Horton’s. I don’t know how their donut holes differ from American ones, but I would never turn down a donut hole of ANY nationality. And I would like to try their coffee, too. I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to flavored coffees and pastries.

 

 

Halifax Donair

Created in the 1970s by a Greek immigrant. Cooked spiced beef, tomatoes and onion wrapped in a pita with a sweet and garlicky sauce made with condensed milk. Sounds good, except for the tomato and onion. Maybe if the beef was seasoned with onion salt. Wouldn’t mind trying it.

 

Coffee Crisp

A popular candy bar that seems to be like a melding of a KitKat and a wafer cookie. Covered in chocolate. What’s not to like? Of COURSE I would try one! There were other limited versions, such as orange, raspberry and maple that were later discontinued.

 

Montréal smoked meat

A Kosher deli meat that sounds like heaven! Brisket cured with salt and spiced, then smoked and steamed. Put some on buttered dark rye bread with just a touch of mustard, dill pickle and lettuce. Yum!

 

All dressed chips

Interesting idea. Combo flavors all in one: BBQ, sour cream, onion, ketchup, salt and vinegar. Was available in the US for a VERY limited time, then discontinued. I would def try these.

 

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Random Thought

Taking the first bite of a burger determines where the front of it is.

 

Skip A Rope

 

Another childhood school game was jump rope. Some had a rhyming song/verse to say while jumping, whether you were jumping alone or had 2 friends swinging the rope for you. You’d get to the end of the song/verse and then it would be the next girl’s turn. And of course, if you flubbed a jump, your turn was over immediately. Other versions had some kind of rhyme that then went into counting. You jumped until you flubbed it. The one who had the highest number of jumps was the winner. Some rhymes called for another person to join in with the first jumper. Sometimes the second jumper stayed, sometimes the first jumper left and the rhyme continued with the second jumper. As for double dutch, I NEVER was able to do that. I was strictly a one-rope jumper.

 

The book pictured above is one I got at the library years ago and was enchanted with it. Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep by Eleanor Farjeon. One of my favorite children’s authors. Many years later I bought it. I love it just as much as I loved it when I was a little girl. Maybe even more…

 

Cinderella, dressed in yella
Went upstairs to kiss a fella
Made a mistake
And kissed a snake
How many doctors
Did it take?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

 

Jane and Johnny (Usually the name of the jumper and one of the cute or ugly guys in the class)
Sitting in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love,
Then comes marriage
Then comes Janey
With a baby carriage.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

 

(This one called for actions by the jumper)

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Touch your shoe.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
That will do.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Go upstairs.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Say your prayers.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Turn out the light.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Say good night!

 

(Another one with actions)

Not last night but the night before

Twenty-four robbers came knocking at my door

As I went out to let them in

This is what they said to me

Lady, lady, turn around

Lady, lady touch the ground

Lady, lady show your shoes

Lady, lady that will do.

As I ran out to get my gun

You should have seen those robbers run

Some went East, some went West

Some went over the cuckoo’s nest.

 

Do you have any rhymes from your childhood?