Donna and the team at newsXpress Kingaroy Mall engaged in local marketing at its best when they had Lady Flo Bejelke Petersen in to sign her new book containing her world famous Pumpkin Scone recipe. Being local is important to newsagents. We see ourselves as a community hub so it makes sense that we seize opportunities to reinforce this, as the folks at Kingaroy did with Lady Flo.
Thinking about this today made me wonder how many newsagencies have a Lady Flo in their area and whether any move has been made to embrace the opportunity. In my own situation I’ve neglected to research this.
With fuel prices the way they are, focusing more on local makes sense.
i would like to know where lady flo got her inspiration for her pumpkin scones, where did she get it from? is it a family recipe? or if she had got the recipe off somebody else?
Eleesa- Not sure if you were serious however a brief history is here and I found it interesting especially the last line.
http://gourmettraveller.com.au/pumpkin_scones.htm
Pumpkin scones
Florence Bjelke-Petersen’s famous pumpkin treats originate from the traditional Scottish ‘skon’.
The scone originates from Scotland with the earliest reference to the bread in a Scottish poem, Aeneid, in 1513. They were originally cooked on a girdle – a type of griddle – over an open flame and in a large flat square or round, then cut into pieces. It was not until the mid-19th century that scones were leavened with baking powder or bicarbonate of soda. It’s unclear when the oven replaced the girdle as the method of cooking or when the individual round numbers came into vogue.
Plain, sweet or savoury, scones are a specialty of the British Isles, where they’re pronounced ‘skon’ in Scotland and northern England and ‘skoan’ in the south.
Since Mrs Beeton’s time, cooks have added various ingredients – fruit, cheese, nuts and, of course, pumpkin – to scones. The latter type was cemented on Australia’s culinary map by Florence Bjelke-Petersen (or Lady Flo as she’s known), a Queensland senator during the late 80s and early 90s and wife of former Queensland premier Sir Joh. During her time as a senator she became well-known for her pumpkin scones, her reputation for them rivalling that of her political career. “I hope they remember me first for being a senator, who just happened to make pumpkin scones,” recounts Florence. And the secret to these golden nuggets? Cook the pumpkin the night before and chill it in the fridge.
Mark, you have a Lady Flo in your area.
You “could” also be considered her local Newsagent.
Dame Elisabeth Murdoch of Langwarrin/Frankston. Irony???