A further observation on those young men in blue suits a size too small (C8) comes from both Adrienne Cameron of Northbridge and Wayne Duncombe of Lilyfield. Adrienne explains: “they’re also wearing light tan coloured shoes,” something Wayne says was “once considered a gauche fashion faux pas, in an age when gauche wasn’t flaunted.”

Michael Fischer of Coogee has a similar take: “Those poor real estate men in their too-small suits must be struggling. Why, they can’t even afford a pair of socks!”

With the discussion of Australia’s wine preferences of yesteryear (C8) continuing, Granny was happy to receive the advice of an authority in Murrumbateman winemaker Ken Helm: “We can all talk about Sparkling Rhinegolde, but the ‘first fizzer’ was Barossa Pearl, released in November 1956 for the Olympic Games. Described as a light, delicate, fruity sparkling wine with a clean lingering finish, it taught Australians how to drink wine. It was also the first with a screw cap and plastic stopper which went ‘pop’ when opened and bought joy to the party.”

“If you really wanted to impress guests at your dinner party, you served Cold Duck,” reckons Jo Hill of Blackwall. “Not sure if it was supposed to be served with poultry, but it seemed to go with everything, especially the ubiquitous baked dinner which seemed to be our go-to offering in the ’60s.”

Seems like there was a lack of faith in Reschs DA (C8) back in the day, going by the recollections of Bernie Carberry of Connells Point: “I remember my late father asking his sister, a Mercy nun by the name of Sister Mary Bernard, would she like a beer one Christmas she was with us: ‘No thanks,’ she said, ‘but can I please have a Dinner Ale?’”

“Our father used to drink DA, but it was foul stuff,” says Dave Horsfall of North Gosford. “The dog gave him a filthy look when he offered her some in a saucer.”

The demographic is split on the subject of pets on planes (C8). Wolf Kempa of Lithgow recalls a trip from Bangkok to Phuket “where I was entertained by the young lady next to me sharing her cup of water with her puppy. Thankfully, the flight was brief!” George Manojlovic of Mangerton, however, thinks that allowing in-flight pets “is a sensible idea. After all, the entire crew on some Scandinavian flights are often great Danes.”

Column8@smh.com.au

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