Wendy McGowan: 'A Good Day Baking'

Wendy McGowan, national president of Rural Woman New Zealand.

New Zealand's rural women know all about a good day's baking, and they're sharing their tips and favourite recipes in a cookbook this month.

A Good Baking Day is the third in a series produced by Rural Women New Zealand, following A Good Spread and A Good Harvest.

I talk to the group's national president Wendy McGowan about the book and rural life.

WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF THIS BOOK? The communications team at Rural Women NZ came up with the idea for this book along with the editors at Random House, knowing it would complement the earlier cookbooks. A Good Spread was a general cookbook and A Good Harvest was on preserves, jams etc.

TALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS ... We asked members to send us their favourite sweet recipes for cakes, biscuits, loaves, scones, breads, desserts and more. We asked for traditional recipes handed down through the generations and new recipes, including gluten-, sugar- and dairy-free options. The result is a real treasury of baking.

We sent the recipes to editors at Random House who sorted through the hundreds of pieces of paper and emails, organising the recipes into categories, identifying double-ups and selecting the final 500 from nearly 800 recipes submitted. There is a good geographical spread throughout the country, including as many contributors as possible. We had to clarify a few details and instructions with contributors, many of whom are such experienced bakers that they go by eye rather than exact quantities.

WHERE ARE PROCEEDS GOING? Rural Women NZ is a charitable organisation and does a great deal to support rural communities and worthwhile causes. Members will sell this book in their communities, at A&P shows, etc, and will use funds raised to keep their groups running, send members to national conferences and for charitable purposes.

HOW MANY RURAL WOMEN CONTRIBUTED TO THE BOOK? About 300.

IS EVERY REGION IN NEW ZEALAND COVERED? Yes. When Random House selected the recipes they ensured all the Rural Women NZ branches that had contributed were included in the final cut.

HOW MANY RECIPE BOOKS HAS RURAL WOMAN NEW ZEALAND PUT OUT? This is our third book with Random House. In days gone by, comprehensive recipe books were vital to isolated farmers' wives and the blue 1965 WDFF (Women's Division of Federated Farmers) cook book sold more than 100,000 copies.

HOW IMPORTANT IS RURAL WOMEN NZ TO OUR COMMUNITIES? The beginnings of the WDFF - now known as Rural Women NZ - came in 1925 when a number of farmers' wives were on holiday in Wellington while their husbands attended a Farmers' Union conference. They heard of the hard lives of many farm women: the unceasing toil, the mud-track roads, rivers unbridged. But what really touched their hearts were the stories of back-block women, of their loneliness and illness and the lack of help available. Some of the women had experienced these conditions themselves so 16 of them, led by our first president Florence Polsen, decided to see what could be done to help and our organisation was born. The treasurer wrote 2000 letters in the first year alone. Since then the energy of members and commitment to community has helped build strong, enduring rural environments. Members today still roll up their shirtsleeves and get stuck in when help is needed; they fundraise for local causes; they make their voice heard when change is needed. And at national level we have the ear of Government, ensuring that rural communities are considered when policies are developed.

WHAT ELSE DOES RURAL WOMEN NEW ZEALAND DO? We run the Enterprising Rural Women Awards, now in its sixth year, which promote and recognise wonderful women running businesses in rural communities.

We fundraise for causes such as breast cancer, prostate cancer and supporting the Christchurch mayoral fund with our award-winning Aftersocks campaign.

We raise awareness of some of the difficult issues facing rural communities, such as the It's Not OK campaign [against family violence].

We campaign on rural safety issues such as quad bike and school bus safety.

We provide scholarships for students.

We lead on rural events such as the United Nations International Year of Family Farming 2014.

We provide leadership training to our members through our Growing Dynamic Leaders course each year.

We raise funds for scientific research, particularly leptospirosis research at Massey University.

WHAT'S THE SECRET TO HOME BAKING? With experience, people develop their own knowledge. But we have tried to short cut years of experience by sharing our hints and tips in this book.

One key thing is to ensure baking powder is fresh. After a while in the pantry it goes off and baking won't rise as it should. I personally use the timer on my stove as a guide only. Every oven is different and I rely on my sense of smell to know when baking is done.

WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK STAND OUT FROM OTHER RECIPE BOOKS? This book has incredible depth compared with many recipe books and is great value, with more than 500 recipes spanning the whole range of sweet baking.

WHY IS HOME BAKING MAKING A COMEBACK? People are becoming more conscious of what goes in to the food they eat. If you make it yourself, you're in control.

Some people have certain ingredients they prefer to avoid and this book includes dairy-, sugar- and gluten-free options, which are clearly listed in the index.

FAVOURITE RECIPE IN THE BOOK? I look forward to trying lots of recipes in the book once it's released. In the meantime, I can recommend my melting moments biscuit recipe, which are quick and easy to make.

WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT LIVING A RURAL LIFE? After 40 years of living rurally, I enjoy the solitude. Being on my own with the sounds of birds from the native bush is an amazing refresher for body and soul.

When needed, I have the company of the community. It's the best of both worlds.