The State Library of Queensland has launched Cake the Podcast, presented by Kaitlyn Sawrey. This engaging series delves into the significant impact of desserts on Queensland’s history and cultural identity, combining historical narratives with contemporary stories.
Central to Cake is the story of Ruby Borrowdale, one of Queensland’s first celebrity chefs. In response to a 1960s pineapple surplus, Brisbane’s Golden Circle cannery recruited Borrowdale to create a cookbook, resulting in the Golden Circle Tropical Recipe Book. This book solved the pineapple overflow and established Borrowdale as an early food influencer and linked Queensland indelibly with pineapples.
The seven-episode series of Cake the Podcast covers various aspects of Queensland’s baking history. It features stories like an Emerald mother transforming her baking side-hustle into an international success and a Brisbane baker who crafted a life-sized Chevrolet Camaro cake with operational lights.
Adding depth to the series is an interview with Adriano Zumbo, a renowned pâtissier and star of Dessert Masters. The podcast also introduces a special buttercream formula developed for Queensland’s climate and shares the story of a mother of ten who expanded Defiance Flour Mills from a local Toowoomba business to a global powerhouse.
The initial two episodes of Cake the Podcast are already available, with subsequent episodes scheduled for weekly release starting November 22.
