We All Need Grub: The Story of the Macquarie University Sausage Sizzle Club

The year is 2007.  I’m in the middle of the fourth and final year of my psychology degree at Macquarie University consisting of a riveting set of subjects (Design and Statistics IV! The Scientist Practitioner Model!), a research project and an accompanying 15,000 word thesis.  My project doesn’t have enough participants and I’ve been late submitting my thesis drafts.  My supervisor calls a meeting in his office, questions my commitment and asks if there’s anything that might be impacting my motivation or distracting me.  I consider acknowledging my indolence and committing to doing my best for the rest of the year, but what I say elicits a concerned frown - “A couple of mates and I founded The W.A.N.G. Club - and it's really busy!”

Rewind 12 months.  A group of mates and I are having dinner, reflecting on our time at uni.  Macquarie University felt like it lagged behind the bigger ‘sandstone’ universities in terms of social life and campus vibe - people just went to classes and went home straight afterwards.  We wanted to change that. One of us mentions that university clubs and societies get money to have sausage sizzles to raise funds for their events or activities.  In a flash of Seinfeldian brilliance, one of us posits - what about a club just for sausage sizzles?  Eyes widen and excited grins grow.  We settle on a name - The W.A.N.G. Club (We All Need Grub) - and the preparations begin.  We submit our club application and, much to our surprise, are approved - we can’t believe they are actually giving us money for this!

We decided to launch at the beginning of 2007 during Orientation-week, where all the clubs and societies set up stalls in the quadrangle and compete to attract new members.  Our pitch was simple - pay an annual membership fee of $10 and get free sausage sandwiches every fortnight for the year.  The most common initial response was laughter, followed by a quick calculation of value, ending with a carefree shrug and the handing over of money.  It felt like we became the campus meme - most people that signed up had heard about it from friends and wanted in on the joke too.  We bought sausage costumes and ran through first year lectures to spread the word.  By the end of the week we had amassed over 500 members and became one of the most popular clubs on campus.

The sausage sizzles were busy from the get-go.  It felt like we got a taste of the chef life - building relationships with suppliers (well, knowing which supermarket had the cheapest snags), the hours of mise en place (ski goggles do indeed reduce onion cutting-related tears), the adrenalin of service and the sweet satisfaction of a cold beer at the uni bar at the end of it all.  We catered for a variety of dietary requirements, although the vegetarians usually opted to have onion sandwiches rather than brave the vegie sausages on offer.  One discerning member brought her own wholegrain bun and salad, obviously concerned with staying healthy whilst still partaking in her fortnightly sausage.  

As we approached the end of the year and most of us were finishing our degrees, we began looking for a new executive team to take over.  We looked for people that could carry on the values of The W.A.N.G. Club - inclusive, fun-loving folk that could continue the spirit of food, fun and friends.  The new W.A.N.G. crew really took it to the next level, putting funds into social activities for W.A.N.G. members and the wider campus population.  Before Conception Day, the university’s annual festival, we ran breakfast barbeques to ensure that our members were properly fed before a day of heavy drinking, dancing and cross-faculty relations.  We raised money for a variety of charities including Relay For Life and prostate cancer (a processed meat offset initiative come to think of it).  There were talks of expansion, with interest from some of the big clubs on campus and even from other universities.   However, there was some sense that it might not be as popular or that some of the magic might be lost - that it was perfect the way it was.  Anecdotally, membership numbers continued to be strong in subsequent years.  From what I can see on Facebook, the W.A.N.G. Club’s last sausage sizzle was in 2017.  

On reflection, It felt like we were a club for people who weren’t into clubs, but still wanted to hang out and meet new people.  We attracted such a cross-section of the campus - the larrikins who loved the name, the shy guys looking to make friends, the international students just looking for a cheap feed, even a couple of lecturers.  The love of perceivably free food was the only common denominator, and not taking yourself seriously enough to join something called The W.A.N.G. Club was the sole membership criteria.  

Chatting to the other co-founders and previous executive team recently, The W.A.N.G. Club holds a special place in our hearts.   Having such a whimsical idea grow into something so big that so many people delighted in was incredibly validating.  Collaborating with others on a real-world project was really exciting - something that a lot of us found lacking in our degrees.  Marketing and evolving the club was a fascinating exercise in creativity and entrepreneurship - things that many of us would end up exploring in our careers.  

With the increased attention on the sausage sizzles at the recent elections, we joked that we should launch the W.A.N.G. Club political party.  What would we stand for?  Equality! Community! Inclusiveness!  What would we do?  Sausage sizzles in every suburb every weekend!  Guaranteed to reduce neighbourly disputes, increase social cohesion and support local butchers and bakers!  Given the current disillusionment with politicians and the larrikin streak in the Australian identity, we might be in with a chance.  All for W.A.N.G. and W.A.N.G. for all!

Train Trip Album Reviews: 'Alligator' - The National

After a period of not listening to albums and a (very) long period of not blogging, this column is an attempt to re-ignite two old passions and curing commute-itis.  Please excuse any ramblings or grammatical errors - it's drafted from Ashfield to Liverpool and finalised from Liverpool to Ashfield.    

The National doesn’t seem like an obvious choice for headphone listening, but such treatment reveals their strengths - the intricate guitar interplay, the subtle piano textures and the cracks and inflections of Matt Berninger’s voice.  

While we’re on the topic, I don’t think anyone is arguing that Berninger’s voice is classic - not in the traditional sense anyway.  His baritone drawl is more character than classic technique and barely holds up live.  However, I don’t think many other voices could pull off lines like “Karen, can you pull up a chair, fuck me and pour me a drink?” or “I’m a birthday candle in a circle of black girls”.  Sometimes the lines are almost as bad as Coldplay lyrics (almost), but I feel that Berninger has big enough balls to pull them off (actually I think I stole this comparison from someone.  Yup, I did).  

The narratives he gives voice to are mysterious, intimate and completely alluring to me.  It feels like you’re listening in on a phone call, reading the draft of a memoir or eavesdropping on a conversation between old friends at the pub.  

The National are often accused of being a mopey, depressing band (much like one of my favourite other bands funnily enough).  Heck, they even called one of their albums ‘Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers”.  This is undeniable - most of the songs are shrouded in neuroticism, occasionally dipped in paranoia.  

There are the cathartic releases though.  ‘All The Wine’ feels like a victory anthem for an alcoholic’s night out - charming, confident and brimming with charm (for a limited time only).  ‘Mr November’ was used in one of Obama’s campaigns, and fittingly so - joyous, passionate and almost desperate conviction given full voice.  

They do feel like an American band to me.  That could be because of the overt references ("you know you have a permanent piece of my medium-sized American heart") or because of the sarcastic tone inherent in lines like that.  I feel like they are simultaneously paying tribute to and paying the shit out of America.  

If all the elements of the National were stuck in a house fire, the drumming might well be the thing I’d save.  

If i think about this band logically or try and explain them to someone else, they end up sounding like a boring band. - unconventional drumming, intertwining guitar arpeggios, ‘Into My Arms’ era Nick Cave vocals and tales of middle class quarter life crisis.  However, when I listen to them, it feels so comforting, so intimate - like I’m on the other end of the phone, or like Matt Berlinger’s just bought me another whiskey.  

A Tale Of Two Dishes: 通心粉 + Macaroni Naporitan

For me, food is best when it's honest, thoughtfully inventive and shared with loved ones.  I was lucky enough to have grown up in a food-obsessed family and to have an amazing cook to call 'Ma'.  Stealing Adam Liaw's idea of combining old classics and new creations, each pair of related dishes will be cooked side-by-side by 'Mummy Chenga' and I during a visit to the family home and recorded here for culinary and (hopefully) drool-worthy posterity.  

Wikipedia is awesome for many reasons, including these facts about macaroni soup:

*  The soup was discussed as a food to improve the health of poor miners.
*  Weeds can be used in macaroni soup in times of poverty to provide vitamins and minerals.
*  One book suggests using it as a food to comfort distressed mental patients.

My memories of macaroni soup consist of sitting down to a bowl of Ma's 通心粉 (tooong sum fun - literally translating as 'empty heart noodle') on a wintery Sunday arvo.  In hindsight, it's really a 'there's nothing in the fridge' meal, but my 7 year-old self thought much more of it - nourishing, delicious and made with love.  Sitting down and eating this recently really evoked those feelings again (a little bit like David Simon* and his father's pickles and cream).  

I'm fascinated by Japanese culture, especially the way it seamlessly integrates influences from other lands.  Naporitan (not a spelling error) is one example of that integration - a pasta dish of spaghetti and ketchup created by a Yokohama chef inspired by the military rations of the allied forces occupying Japan in World War 2.  I've included ingredients from Ma's 通心粉 along with some of the ingredients you would find on a supreme pizza, but anything goes.  Just ask - what would a Japanese grandmother do? (or what would someone that's cooking with dog do?)

通心粉

WHAT YOU NEED

250g macaroni
2-3 frankfurters, sliced into rounds
4 handfuls of frozen corn
6-8 cups of water + 1 tsp chicken powder (or 6-8 cups of any stock)


WHAT TO DO

- bring water and chicken powder (or stock) to the boil

- add macaroni and cook to your preference, as long as it's past al dente

- add frankfurters and corn

- allow to come to a boil for a minute or so

- serve in a shallow bowl with a big spoon whilst watching bad Sunday arvo TV

Macaroni Naporitan

WHAT YOU NEED

250g macaroni
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, medium dice
1 capsicum, medium dice
handful of button mushrooms, medium dice
2-3 frankfurters, sliced into hemispheres (little bit bigger than the above dice)
6-8 tbsp tomato sauce
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
4 grated handfuls of whatever cheese is in the fridge
hard-boiled egg (everyone has a spare one lying around, right?)
black pepper
tabasco 


WHAT TO DO

- Cook pasta until al dente (it'll keep cooking a little later).

- Saute garlic, onion and capsicum in 2-3 tbsp of oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened.

- Add mushrooms and frankfurters and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

- Add pasta and mix well.

- Add tomato sauce and soy sauce and mix well - add more of either to taste.  The sauce should coat the macaroni - add a little water to loosen if required.  

- Divide into 4 bowls and top with grated egg, cheese, black pepper and tabasco.  A spoon should do the job - the dice should mean that you get a bit of everything every spoonful.  You should feel like a nap afterwards.  


* Creator of TV series 'The Wire' - cheaper and more swearing involved than doing a degree in Social Work (so my colleagues that did Social Work say).

A Tale Of Two Dishes: 沙爹锅 + Prawny Puttanesca-ey Pasta

For me, food is best when it's honest, thoughtfully inventive and shared with loved ones.  I was lucky enough to have grown up in a food-obsessed family and to have an amazing cook to call 'Ma'.  Stealing Adam Liaw's idea of combining old classics and new creations, each pair of related dishes will be cooked side-by-side by 'Mummy Chenga' and I during a visit to the family home and recorded here for culinary and (hopefully) drool-worthy posterity.  

My parents will never eat Italian food outside - they just won't do it.  They will, however, eat pasta dishes that I occasionally cook for them (I firmly attribute this to filial bias).  This particular one is an attempt to emulate the type of pasta dishes that the Chelsea Hotel in Chatswood (an old university haunt famous) used to cook up - a bastard combo of puttanesca and prawn linguine.  

When I think prawns and noodle-y things, I think of Ma's 沙爹锅 (satay hot pot) - always brought to the table in the wok cos we didn't have any plates big enough to hold it!  The use of Jimmy's Sate Sauce is pretty crucial, as is tracking down this specific type of Chinese vegetable for it's mustard-ey aftertaste.

Despite sharing common core ingredients and dynamics (al dente-ness / glutinous-ness of the carb), the techniques differ, as does the cultural context:

- High heat to wok-fry and dry-fry  Vs  Low heat to infuse the oil with the puttanesca flavours
- Unshelled ("Good flavour!  Fun to Eat!")  Vs  Shelled prawns ("Prawn heads - Ewww")
- Served banquet style with rice  Vs  Usually served individually, maybe with bread

The honorary father and sister gave ticks of approval to both, but I think Ma's dish has superior flavour and technique - but it's not about winning when it comes to family (right?).

沙爹锅

WHAT YOU NEED


100g thick vermicelli

1 bunch gooong muuun (translated roughly as 'asshole moon' by my dad) book choy 

16 raw prawns, shell on

1 cup chicken stock

1 tbsp light soy

1 tsp oil

2 tsp sesame oil

A little salt

1 tbsp Jimmy's sate sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp water

WHAT TO DO

-  Soak vermicelli for 15 mins in tap water, wash the veg

-  Mix sauces together - it should have the consistency of ketchup and be a balance of salty, sweet and satay-ey.

-  Boil stock and add the seasonings and dissolve.  Add vermicelli in and cook until translucent and 'al dente'.

-  Take it off the boil and stand to allow noodles to absorb the flavours (and ensure that the noodles don’t absorb the flavours of the satay sauce later)

-  Dry-fry the prawns over medium heat for 5 minutes in a wok until curled and cooked through.  Set aside.

-  Wok-fry veg with 1 tsp oil and a scant tsp of salt for a minute.  Cover to steam until cooked through.  Set aside and clean wok.  

-  Wok-fry the garlic in 2 tsp oil over medium to high heat to infuse the oil.  Add the prawns and stir to coat.  Add the sauce mixture and toss quickly to coat the prawns.    Add the noodles and veg and mix.  

-  Serve banquet style or with rice for a quick meal.  

Prawny Puttanesca-ry Pasta

WHAT YOU NEED

250g linguine

16 raw prawns, peeled (leave the brains in - insane flavour here. Just peel the shell on the head and snip a centimetre from the top)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4-5 anchovies

2 tbsp capers (no need to rinse - that brine is flavour!)

1 heaped tsp chilli flakes (this will give you the necessary mid-level hum)

400g tiny tomatoes (cherry, baby roma), halved

bag of rocket/spinach

100g ricotta (or parmesan if you ain’t a fan of ricotta)

1 lemon

WHAT TO DO

-  Put pasta on - aim for 80% cooked.

-  In a wide pan or wok, fry prawns in 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat until cooked through (about 2 minutes a side).  Set aside.  If you kept the brains in (and I hope you did) it may be a little messy, so rinse the pan with hot water, scrub clean and dry quickly.  

-  Saute garlic, anchovies and capers in 3 tbsp oil over low to medium heat until the anchovies break down and the flavours infuse.  

(Your pasta should be ready around this time - drain and reserve some of the cooking water)

-  Increase to high heat and add the tomatoes.  Cook for 2 minutes until they give off some of their juice and start to collapse.  

-  Add the pasta (if it has clumped in the colander, use some of the cooking water to loosen it up) and toss until well-coated with the sauce.  

-  Add prawns and veg until veg wilts slightly.

-  Serve in the biggest plate/bowl you have in the middle of the table with ricotta crumbled on top and a drizzle of olive oil.  Lemon, black pepper, chilli flakes and extra leaves to taste.

A Guide to Post-apocalyptic America: 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy

 

When it comes to Vinnie's/Lifeline/Salvo shops, the further west you go, the better.  I knew that Cormac McCarthy wrote No Country for Old Men, so paying $2 for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel from 2007 seemed like a pretty good punt.  I don't think I've ever read a book quicker, and it's certainly one that changed the way I looked at the world (for a few days anyway). 

So, here's what I learnt about what life might be like if you survived a catastrophic event:

 

It will be a bit like a video game

 

The story of a father and son travelling south to escape the cold in post-apocalyptic America felt a little bit like playing Resident Evil 2 with the lights out after your parents went to bed – searching abandoned towns for supplies, the constant fear of running out of pistol ammunition and never knowing what’s lurking in that mansion basement.

 

You can eat pretty much anything to survive

 

In Cormac McCarthy’s pseudo science-fictitious world, an unnamed catastrophic event has turned the country into a gloomy, desolate wasteland (many critics claim this novel is a crude examination of the consequences of climate change). Witnessing them survive on completely rotten apples, decade-old pickles and ash-ridden snow put my at-times insatiable food obsession into some perspective.  Speaking of survival...

 

People will start eating each other

 

Cannibalism becomes a horrifying reality for many of the surviving members of the human race.  This lead me to one of the most interesting Wikipedia pages I’ve read in a long time – the psychological underpinnings of this seemingly inhuman behaviour, very recent instances of cannibalism and a fascinatingly descriptive account of eating human meat by a New York Times reporter (tastes like veal, apparently).

 

Shit's gonna get deep

 

For decades, natural disasters, catastrophic human events and alien invasions have been backdrops to the consideration of philosophical themes, and The Road is no different.  The essence of being a father, the survival mindset and the inherent good (and evil) of man are explored through McCarthy’s poignant, poetic prose. 

 

Kids will still be kids

 

McCarthy dedicates the book to his son, who would have been about the same age as the boy in the book when it was released.  The dialogue is littered with his seemingly naïve observations and enquiries.  At one point, the boy guilts his father into sharing a meal with an elderly man they encounter on the road.  In a world struggling to survive, it is in these rare moments of shared humanity that hope resides. 

 

 

Listomania: 7 quotes (of quotes) from 'Status Anxiety'

I saw this title on my sister's bookshelf and was immediately intrigued - this blog post is a 'thank you' for the lend.  I'd heard good things about the author and the title seemed relevant in the context of the incredible popularity of social networking websites.

Upon reading, Alain de Botton not only reveals himself to be an eloquent writer and insightful social commentator, but also an incredibly thorough reader of history and philosophy.  I highly recommend reading the whole book, but in the meantime, here are some notable references that he makes:

1.  

"When inequality is the general rule in society, the greatest inequalities attract no attention.  But when everything is more or less level, the slightest variation is noticed… "

-        French lawyer and historian Alexis De Tocqueville analysing the relationship between dissatisfaction and high expectation

2.

"Self-esteem = Success / Pretensions"

-         Psychologist William James’ equation that backs the cognitive strategy of lowering expectations

3.  

"I have often seen chance marching ahead of merit, and often outstripping merit by a long chalk."

        -    Renaissance philospher Michel de Montaigne illustrating the point that success isn't always planned.

4. 

"Public opinion is the worst of all opinions."

-         French writer Nicolas Chamfort expressing that the views of majority of the population are often confused or wrong

5.  

"There is in the world only the choice between loneliness and vulgarity"

-         Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer explaining the folly of attaching too much value to the opinions of others

6.  

"… the desire to remove human error, clear human confusion and diminish human misery" 

-         Critic Matthew Arnold on the characteristics of the work of any great artist

7.

"... those who most keenly felt wonder beneath the stars at night or were best able to interpret and alleviate the sufferings of others."

        -    Art critic John Ruskin's hope for the new definition of 'the wealthy'

In Conversation: Chatting Radiohead with Robbo

In the lead up to their first Australian shows in over 8 years, I sat down with a treasured friend to discuss all things Radiohead.  Ladies and gentleman, I give you Matt Robinson - actuary, Robert Pattinson look-a-like and music fan extraordinaire.  

 C.  When did you first hear Radiohead?

MR.  It was 2006.  OK Computer was the record.  I was coming out of a long phase of listening to Pink Floyd, so it fit in with the whole concept album thing - the album as a self-contained entity. 

C.  That's so interesting!  I've always linked 'Lucky' and 'Breathe' - same chords (Em, A) and incredible guitar crescendos. 

MR.  I don’t listen to it (OK Computer) much now.  Gravitating towards different albums. 

C.  Which ones do you mean?

MR.  In Rainbows and Kid A.  Kid A is this moody electronic album that you can really immerse yourself in.  I think In Rainbows is a social record, one you can play for new fans to enjoy. 

C.  For me, it's Radiohead's most relaxed record.  All the albums up to that point had a vibe of angst or conflict.  Songs like 'Nude' and 'House of Cards' just feel so chilled and at peace. 

MR.  It seemed like they didn't need to make a 'transaction' on that record (without a record label), so maybe that meant that they were more relaxed.  The second disc is amazing too. 

C.  Totally.  Have you seen Thom have a go on the drums on 'Bangers n Mash'?

MR.  No.

C.  You saw Radiohead at a festival in Bilbao earlier this year.  What was that like?

MR.  Festival audience, Festival-friendly setlist.  Really varied crowd.  Spanish hipsters, of which there are a fair few. 

Aforementioned Spanish hipsters at Bilbao festival

C.  What songs are you looking forward to seeing in Sydney?

MR.  'House of Cards',  'Bullet Proof..Wish I Was)', 'Drunken Punchup At A Wedding'.  

C.  I wanna hear Punchup too !  So many great songs on the second side of Hail To The Thief - 'Wolf At The Door', 'Myxomatosis', 'Scatterbrain'.

C.  See you in the mosh, man.


Robbo and I will be attending the Radiohead show on Tuesday 12 November.  I will also be attending the show on Monday 11 November.  There may be tears and manhugs on both evenings.