The Shearers' Cook (1904)
Anyone to take a look at him wouldn't fancy he could cook-He said he'd got his knowledge all from Mrs Beeton's book,
At fricasse and mayonnaise, or at making a ragout,
Perhaps there were some could beat him but they were mighty few,
"Some people like plain tucker; give me fancy things instead,"
Said the man who came from Tumut who was cooking at the shed. So he gave them Hash-ma-gan-da and Tumbarumba stew,
And Kiandra Rock-ma-dolla were all in his menu
Boiled chops he'd have for breakfast, and to make it extra nice,
He'd sometimes give them curry and always burn the rice !
So he bungled on serenely, no matter what they said,
Did the man who came from Tumut who was cooking at the shed. He was good at making rock cakes, and at dough boys rather neat,
At times he'd make some fancy things to give the lads a treat.
"I'll show these chaps that I can cook, no matter what they say-
I've cooked for lots of squatters up Gundagai way,
I'll give them apple fritters, caviare and gingerbread,"
Said the man who came from Tumut who was cooking at the shed. He gave than fried maizenn and stuff called Hang-dog-pie-
Every man that ate a bit of it made sure that he was going to die;
And his "Whoa-back" soup at supper had a most peculiar smell-
In it they found to make it strong he'd put a bullock bell !
Then the rousies asked for brownie, and the shearers asked for bread,
From the man who came from Tumut who was cooking at the shed. Then they look him outside gently and dumped him on his head-
The man who came from Tumut who was cooking at the shed-
And all were quite unanimous in hoping he was dead,
The man who came from Tumut who was cooking at the shed. -"Rhodesia," in 'Wangaratta Chronicle'. Notes From the NSW Newspaper The Gundagai Independent 23 Jan 1904. Australian Shearers' cooks frequently bore the butt of the fictions conjured up by song composers. In this case mention of Mrs Beaton's 1861 Book provides a nice touch.