The Politics of Jam Tarts

With our recent visit to the house where General Jan Smuts, Prime Minister of South Africa from 1919 - 1924 and 1939 – 1948, lived and buying Hertzog cookies near his front door, made me think of the politics behind these jam tarts.

Hertzoggies

JBM Hertzog was the Prime Minister of South Africa from 1924 - 1939 and Jan Smuts’s political rival. Smuts was the leader of the South African Party and Hertzog was the leader of the National Party.

Hertzoggie Detail

In 1924 women could not vote in the elections but that did not stop them from showing their political support from the kitchen. During this time the little jam tart in honour of JBM Hertzog or the ‘Hertzoggie’ started to grace the tea tables of staunch National Party supporting women.

Hertzoggies for Tea

Hertzoggie Detail

They took pride in their baked fare and the ‘Hertzoggie’ was and is a real treat, with its’ buttery crust, apricot filling and coconut meringue topping.

Jan Smutsies

Not to be outdone, the South African Party supporters created a similar jam tart but replaced the coconut meringue topping with a grated or minced dough topping that was made by using a grater or a small mincer that used to be turned by hand and fastened to the edge of the table.

Jan Smuts Cookies

I used to enjoy pushing the dough through the mincer while turning the handle and watching the little dough worms coming through the little holes.

I hardly ever see the true Jan Smuts cookies and the toppings are more solid than the crumbly worm-like ones I remember.

Jan Smutsie Detail

I do not know if it is because JBM Hertzog passed The Women's Enfranchisement Act in 1930 which granted white women aged 21 and older the right to vote and to run for office but the ‘Hertzoggie’ seems to be more popular than the ‘Jan Smutsie’ to the extent that your chances of finding a 'Hertzoggie' outside the front door of Jan Smuts’s house is better than finding a 'Jan Smutsie'.

Hertzoggie and Jan Smutsie United