I made damper for smoko this morning, being Australia Day. It's a bit of a tradition in our house. My Dad used to make damper back in the old days and it wasn't in a fancy electric oven. He would mix up flour and water in an old tin, rake the coals away from the fire and drop the dough in the ashes, then cover it back over with the coals. He'd boil the billy while he waited for the damper to cook, and throw in a handful of tea leaves. The size of the handful depended on the size of the billy. When the damper was cooked, he'd just rake away the coals and dust off the ashes. Then eat the damper, sometimes with cocky's joy (golden syrup), or most times with plum jam. He only used plum jam–it was the cheapest. Dad didn't serve his up on fine china either. He only ever had a battered enamel plate and pannikin. But I bet his tasted better than mine.