It’s hard to talk about national Australian cuisine, given that modern traditions were established only a couple of hundred years ago. And Aboriginal customs have been erased in places. Nevertheless, Australia still follows the special rule – everything must be original.
Traditional food in Australia
You’ll find the blandest things in Australia, like hot dogs and pizza. And something so unusual it’s almost a wonder. There are sharks and crocodiles, crabs and oysters, possums and kangaroos. Ostrich meat is not even considered a delicacy, just the local version of chicken. Asian cuisine has been growing in popularity in recent years, and British traditional cuisine has an influence on the country as well. Out of this wild ooze grows something completely original, Australian.
The original national dishes of Australia have preserved the recipes from the times of the locals. The very nature of the country, its flora and fauna, allowed to create such original menus. Here are some dishes of the southern mainland, both quite unusual and more familiar to us.
Australian dishes
Kangaroo – despite the fact that the kangaroo is considered the national symbol of the country, it is eaten. And quite successfully. Any dish, from roasts to meat soups, can include this ingredient.
Chicken Melbourne – Chicken is fried in olive oil, tender meat served in a pink sauce.
Australian meat pie is a national dish that is considered both simple, common and special. Every region prepares it differently. Essentially an uncomplicated and hearty appetizer in many restaurants and simpler establishments. The pie is made with minced meat, occasionally with onions and vegetable additions.
Wedgimait is a thick, dark paste that is made with yeast extracts. Salty in taste, with a slight beer flavor, it is used as a dessert. It is used to make cakes, spread vejimait on bread and toast.
Australia’s folk dishes
Barramundi fried fish is a freshwater large fish that is fried and served as a main second course in many restaurants.
Australia’s national food
Crocodile – crocodile roast, crocodile stew, anything crocodile. You’ll find dishes from the reptile common in Australia everywhere. And if in our country it is considered a very original dish, here it is almost banal.
Lemington – a sweet dish, dessert, an ordinary biscuit dipped in chocolate frosting and sprinkled with coconut shavings.
Drinks in Australia
The climatic conditions in the country were favorable for the cultivation of many crops imported from the European continent, in particular grapes and cereals. Therefore, the local alcohol industry has developed a fairly good raw material base, which has led to a wide range of alcoholic beverages produced in Australia. Excellent wines and beers, premium rum, and elite organic vodka are produced here, which has no analogs in the world. The creation of premium alcoholic products has been made possible by the introduction of the most modern equipment and technology as part of a widespread industrial modernization. These changes have also affected the winemaking industry, one of the oldest in the country. These measures have made it possible to produce beverages of unsurpassed quality. Not surprisingly, the distinctive wine is today considered Australia’s calling card.
Wine is Australia’s unique alcoholic drink and is in high demand all over the world. It was industrially produced back in the middle of the century before last, but until recently it has hardly been supplied to the international market. Today this product regularly wins awards at prestigious competitions and tops all sorts of ratings. This is especially true for beverages of the elite segment, although the range of Australian producers has more accessible samples which are equally noteworthy for their bright bouquet with juicy, spicy fruit flavor.
Rum is an exclusive Australian liquor that is gaining more and more fans in different countries. Its little popularity is due to strong competition from the Caribbean brands, although the quality of the product is not inferior to foreign counterparts. The local companies offer a variety of rums, including unusual flavors such as chocolate and vanilla. One of the largest rum companies has a museum dedicated to the drink, where you can see rare examples and learn about the history of Australian rum production.