There is traditional Australian food that goes back hundreds of years – but other than macadamia nuts and perhaps witchety grubs, most modern Australians don’t know what it is. We do have lamb (cue hundreds of sheep jokes), vegemite (blurk), pavlova (yay – but technically a New Zealand dish) and barbeques.
On Sunday CJ and I went to my brother’s house for a barbeque. There were sausages, steaks, and kebabs. It was insanely delicious.
My brother, stoically ignoring me:
And yes, like everything else from non-indigenous Australia, it’s not unique to us. The historically-recent mix of cultures is what makes Australia special. That, and our (usually deadly) animals.
Here’s a video of some galahs partying in the recent heavy rain:
What’s your favourite Australian dish?
New Zealand – ever eager to steal our culture – have indeed claimed the Pavlova for themselves.
However, things are nowhere near as simple as they would have you believe.
Several deserts were named after the famous ballerina Anna Pavlova, and the first one mentioned in the Aus/NZ region was indeed in New Zealand – however this was a kind of jelly that bears no resemblance to the modern Pavlova.
That only appears later, after the claimed Australian creation date.
The information is not conclusive, and probably never will be, but claiming Pavlova for Australia can be done with as much – if not more – credibility than claiming it for the Land of the Sheep…
(*Desserts)
Ben, I’m perfectly happy to believe you. I’d heard (a guy did his phD on it or something) that it was invented in NZ, but wasn’t popular until a big Australian launch. Right now I figure if NZ is going to have earthquakes, they may as well get credit for something nice.
I vote for damper. All those lovely carbs, that crusty goodness…… served with butter and golden syrup, nothing can beat a campoven damper 😀 and made in the oven, its almost as good!
Ann: Darn, now I want some.
Goanna stew.
You put into a pot of boiling water a rock and a goanna.
When the water has boiled enough that the rock goes soft, throw away the goanna and eat the rock
LOL, Greg! That reminds me of the children’s picture book “Stone Soup” about a hungry traveller who is told there’s no food to be had. He offers them a stone to make stone soup, and they assist by adding a scrap of old carrot, half an onion, etc. Everyone eats well at the end.
Hello…
I am aussie food lover.
I like vegemite, tim tams, cookies.
I only like vegemite when it’s on toast with boiled eggs. But I’m right there with you on the tim tams.
Louise Curtis