Smoked Cheddar Damper
(Damper is bread the old bushies would cook in the ashes of their campfire, simple, water, flour and powdered milk. They would then find a small branch, at least 2cm thick, and wrap a lump of dough around the stick, to make a cylindrical shape and hold it over the fire to cook, slowly turning it so no side burned, or mound it into a big round loaf and bury it in the ashes. We did it as kids and when it was ready, would rip it off the stick, poke great dabs of butter down the center hole and finish it off with apricot jam….This version is a more civilized way of serving it.)

375g (about 13 ounces)self-raising flour
1 tbsp. cracked black pepper
1 tbsp. fennel seeds
30g (2 tbsp.) butter
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
60g (4 tbsp.) grated smoked cheddar cheese
180ml (3/4 cup) milk
80ml (1/3 cup) water

Combine flour and pepper in a large bowl, rub in butter. Stir in parsley, fennel and cheese, then stir in milk and water. Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead until just smooth. Place on a baking tray lined with a sheet of baking paper, press into a 15cm (about 6 inches) round.
Brush dough with a little extra milk, bake in moderate oven (180°C) (about 350 F) 40 minutes or until damper sounds hollow when tapped.