Margaret Fulton facts for kids
Fulton at Entertainment Quarter, Fox Studios, Sydney, September 2012
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| Born | 6 October 1924 Nairn, County of Nairn, Scotland |
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| Died | 24 July 2019 (aged 94) Southern Highlands, New South Wales, Australia |
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Television show(s)
Recipes from the Duchess of Duke Street
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Award(s) won
Medal of the Order of Australia (1983)
Diploma of honour from Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (1986) |
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Margaret Isobel Fulton (6 October 1924 – 24 July 2019) was a famous Scottish-born Australian food writer. She was also a journalist, author, and expert on cooking. Margaret Fulton was one of the first people in Australia to write about food in this way.
Her early recipes helped Australians try new foods. Before her, many people ate simple meals like "meat and three vegetables." Margaret encouraged them to be creative. She introduced exciting dishes from places like Spain, Italy, India, and China. As the cooking editor for Woman's Day magazine, she shared these new ideas with Australian families.
Even though she did some TV shows, Margaret mostly focused on writing. She felt that writing was her best talent.
Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Margaret Fulton was born in Nairn, Scotland, on 6 October 1924. When she was three years old, her family moved to Australia. They settled in a town called Glen Innes, New South Wales. As a child, she was a Girl Guide. She even became a leader of the Magpie Patrol. During her time as a Guide, she learned how to cook outdoors over a campfire.
In 1947, she started working as a cooking teacher. Later, she became a sales manager. She helped bring the pressure cooker, a special cooking pot, to Australia.
In 1954, Margaret gave a talk about cooking with ready-to-eat cereals. She explained that many women were working. This meant they needed quick and easy ways to prepare food. She said that packaged foods, like cereal and cake mixes, made life simpler. She even handed out "hot muffins made with bran" to show how easy they were to make.
In 1956, Margaret gave French cooking demonstrations over four days. Each day, a different French hostess from Sydney helped plan the menu. They also helped with the cooking and setting the table.
Margaret started appearing in advertisements in the late 1950s. She promoted floor polish and surface polish from her kitchen. She also told readers of The Australian Women's Weekly that Sellotape was very useful. She shared tips like using it to seal plastic bags for freezing food.
In July 1964, Woman's Day magazine promised readers an "8-page liftout" from Margaret. She was known for her cooking classes in Sydney. Her regular cooking articles continued through the 1960s. In 1968, she created a colorful guide to Italian food. The magazine called it their "most exciting" guide ever!
Cookbooks and Global Flavors
The Margaret Fulton Cookbook was published in 1968. It quickly became very popular. By 1978, it had sold over 600,000 copies!
Margaret continued exploring international food. She published her Italian Cookbook in 1973. This book had simple, tested recipes. Margaret even traveled to Italy to make sure her recipes were authentic. She advised cooks to use good quality Italian olive oil. She also suggested grating cheese like Parmesan fresh when needed.
In 1975, Margaret shared Italian and Chinese recipes in an interview. She also gave advice to young people setting up their first homes. She told them to buy a few good saucepans and an iron oven casserole dish. She said these items would last a lifetime.
Later, Margaret had a TV cooking show. It was based on recipes from the early 1900s. This show was inspired by a popular BBC drama series called The Duchess of Duke Street.
In 1979, Margaret's love for Chinese cuisine led her to organize a special tour. It was a 23-day food tour of China. The trip included visits to the best restaurants in cities like Canton and Shanghai. She also planned for the group to see historical sites, factories, and even acupuncture procedures.
Lasting Impact and Recognition
Margaret Fulton received the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1983. This award recognized her service to the media as a journalist and writer in cooking.
Her efforts to popularize Chinese cuisine helped develop Sydney's Chinatown. Before the 1950s, not many non-Chinese people visited this area. Margaret was one of the writers who introduced Chinese recipes to Australian homes. This made Chinatown's restaurants a welcome change from the usual meals.
In 1998, Margaret Fulton was named one of the 100 Australian Living Treasures. This honor came from the National Trust of Australia.
In 2006, The Bulletin magazine listed Margaret as one of the "100 most influential Australians." They said she "changed the way Australians ate at home." They called her "Australia's original domestic goddess."
In 2014, Margaret Fulton appeared on an Australian postage stamp. This was part of the 'Australia Post Legends Awards'. Other famous chefs like Neil Perry and Stephanie Alexander were also featured in this stamp series.
Margaret Fulton passed away on 24 July 2019, at the age of 94. Her family was offered a State memorial service, which they accepted.
Family and Legacy
Margaret Fulton had one daughter, Suzanne Gibbs. She also had two granddaughters, Kate Gibbs and Louise Keats. All of them followed careers in food. Kate Gibbs wrote two cookbooks and a book about Margaret's life called "Margaret and Me."
Louise Keats wrote a children's storybook called "My Grandma's Kitchen." It explored Margaret's influence on her childhood. Margaret supported Louise's food career. She even sent her to the Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. Louise later studied nutrition and wrote five more cookbooks. She credits Margaret for inspiring her love for food and cooking.
Awards and Honors
- 1983 – Medal of the Order of Australia
- 1986 – 'diploma of honour' from Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne
