WWTC GRUB

Some astute and unastute comments about the tucker we had to consume whilst at WWTC during the early sixties!

These are astute comments indeed, from Di.
Also, I note Di's references to some gastronomic delights we all shared in the mess: Train Smash and the politically challenged Arab's Armpit. I have wracked my Alzheimic brain for other metaphors and can only remember the egg "dish" we called Gangrene and the custard we called Perkin's Paste. Any more for the record?

Oh, the memories of those delicacies! I had forgotten about Perkin’s Paste, and I loved it! So, you called the egg dish Gangrene. Was that the one also known as Yellow Death? I can vouch for my roomie, Dale, consistently claiming ownership of the skin on the custard, affectionately called ‘the flywalk’.

I clearly recall the first meal we ate with the incoming first years (I believe it was the notorious Arab’s Armpit), when we second years, led by Ken Porter, calmly passed the rectangular aluminium serving dish from one end of the table to the other, untouched, informing the first years, including poor Jimmy Pile from Finley, and his mate Graeme Henry from Tocumwal, that we never ate that particular dish because it could kill you. The looks of dismay on their faces at the waste of this apparently good food were priceless. In the days to come, those country boys, with their healthy appetites, proved they had caste iron stomachs, as they consumed everything that was dished up with gusto, much to the disgust of us more discerning diners.

I also remember, carrying home on the college train, at the Easter Break in first year, a carefully wrapped chop, which was like no chop I had seen before, (huge, grotesque, encased in congealed fat and surely from some strange beast) to prove to my parents that we were being ill-treated and malnourished and they should contact the college forthwith and complain. They were unimpressed and assured me that I’d had it too good at home (with dainty loin and chump chops from the local butcher) and that I’d, no doubt, survive! There was no way they wanted me back so soon. Life was more peaceful since I’d left.

A lighter moment was after Sunday lunch when we were often treated with cubes of jelly for dessert. These we would take with us from the dining room and bounce around on the asphalt outside. We were easily amused in those days. My children give me disbelieving looks when I talk about entertainment, WWTC style.


PS Can you believe we actually had to walk to the lecturers’ table and apologize if we were late for a meal? Dale and I did it frequently and I can still remember the disapproving look on Fanny Bridges’ face, with her chin tucked into her shoulder, when one of her Kambu girls disgraced her in this way. It was the strangest experience, when, years later, she supervised a student on my class at Dee Why. My stomach still turned over when I saw her coming.

I do remember the jelly. Our table always checked it against the light in case one of the waitresses (especially the nasty one who was a barmaid in a down town pub and who openly showed her dislike of all females attending wwtc) had 'accidentally' put her left and right thumb prints on the surface as the tray was carried to the table. These 'accidents' happened every Sunday lunch! The 'smile', or one could almost call it a sneer, appeared just as she lowered the rubbery mess onto the table and waited for us to react to the disgusting smudges before us! Yechhhhhh!
I still check smooth food surfaces, just in case ...........

Yeah... and I remember those chops too! But you omitted to mention that there was a tinge a greeness about them. Just a tinge! I never knew till years later that Arab's Armpit was actually a meatloaf! Did you know that?

I can recall saying "Thank you but no thanks" (politely) when offered some Arab's once. The waitress was standing there, dumbfounded. People just didn't turn down food in those days.

I remember I used to grab a desert dish and a spoon and cut up bread and have bread and milk for desert when pudding wasn't on the menu.

Did you know that on one occasion Ken P (name will be withheld for obvious reasons), asked someone on his table to "hit me with the vegemite" (or jam or honey???) One of his table buddies (would have to be a girl) threw the requested item from the other end... successully. Wonder if HE can recall that?

Why don't you ask about students preparing food in the dormitories? Like cooking sausages on the electric bar heater, tilted so the pan would balance on the electrical appliance! Think that was where one of our colleagues decided to introduce OH&S after that.

Also recall Elphick walking out blatantly from the dining hall with a huge jug of milk because my brother Bill was staying (illegally) in the dorm and would have appreciated some tucker from the dining room.

During the revolt when students marched to the bridge in Wagga, some clever dick put up a sign on the dining room... EVEN THE FOOD IS REVOLTING!

Yes Di, I have been sitting with Dale when she has excitedly called out. "Scummies!" as the custard with its anti-mine covering arrived.

Does anyone remember when I arrived with a few other blokes late for brekky.... in PYJAMAS! Bet you can't remember that! I'll tell you the sequence to that if you'd like to hear it.

Any photos available?...... Doug???