Food

Jar of jam / preserve with spoon and rustic bread on wooden board in kitchen at Vaucluse House

History with flavour

Good food and generous hospitality were part of the rhythms of domestic life at Rouse Hill House. A collection of cookbooks and handwritten recipes accumulated over more than a hundred years remains in the house, and provides a taste of the family’s culinary repertoire through times of boom and bust

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Cook & Curator

Translating tastes: the Rose Seidler recipe collection

Recently translated from the original German, recipes kept by Rose Seidler provide valuable insight into her culinary heritage and Austrian identity

Cook & Curator

Eier auf Florentiner Art (Eggs Florentine)

This classic recipe is simple to make yet rich and flavoursome. Perfect for a weekend brunch or a light supper

Reviving an heirloom recipe

Wedged between the pages of an old family cookbook is a manuscript recipe for Meroogal Sponge

A manuscript cookbook from Meroogal

Cooking was an integral part of the rhythm of life for the family at Meroogal, near Nowra on the south coast of New South Wales

Women sifting icing over the top of a table of cakes
Cook & Curator

Orange cake

The zest of citrus and a hint of whisky gives this cake a wonderful fragrance. Served for afternoon tea, it’s sure to become a staple in your household

Bischofsbrot (Bishop’s Bread)

Studded with colourful glacé fruits, Bischofsbrot, or Bishop’s bread, is an egg-rich, sweetened loaf popular in northern Europe

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Cook & Curator

Äpfel im Schlafrock (Apples in their dressing gowns)

Baked apples wrapped in buttery pastry are sweet and simple. You can use store-bought pastry or try our classic recipe

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Preserving our culinary heritage

Autumn is the time when families like the Rouses of Rouse Hill Estate preserved the last of the warmer weather’s bounty to enjoy in the months to come