Defining Australian Cuisine

Sticky Date Pudding

Beyond Vegemite

Australia is rapidly becoming a foodie’s Mecca, exotic and friendly, the ingredients are starting to shine as stars in other parts of the world. Clean and green,  Australian meat and seafood will be a major contender in the years to come on the sustainable market.

When visiting there a cook can expect to see a range of produce and dairy from the four corners of the earth. The markets are bursting with flavors of the orient, Mediterranean and Americas. There is a revolution of true natural fusion of cuisines- Mediterranean and Asian are the most prevalent and stand out as the star of flavors.

History of Immigrants in Australia

Commonwealth Immigrants first settled in South Australia in  1836. Known as Adelaide today, folks settled in and were joined later by the persecuted Lutheran immigrants from Prussia.  They brought recipes that were handed down from their families such as the traditional Roast dinner, meat pies, and Lamingtons. Over the years, the Pavlova, pumpkin scones and Anzac Biscuits joined the line up of favorites.

The great migration again came in the 1950ties  when other cultures started to realize that the latitude of south Australia was the same as Tuscany. Italians, Germans, Greeks, Asian, Eastern European and South Africans all came to put down roots and start a new life. Yearning for a taste of home, they planted olive trees, vineyards had come in the late 1800’s so they were producing drinkable “plonk” a slang word for wine. Immigrants could speak the language in their neighborhoods and practice their foodways so they were happy to be in Australia.

Tourism raises the bar

Today’s tourist in Australia has been delighted with the creative use of local ingredients. Chefs have stepped up to the plate and have begun producing innovative dishes with traditional ingredients. Seafood often plays a starring role in these local treasures and foodies far and wide come to taste the best the country has to offer. With world class wines and cheeses that rival European producers, Australia is no longer the land of the forgotten foods. The days are long gone of a meal of meat and three veg. They have been replaced by imaginative productions of locally raised meats sprinkled with bush spices and accompanied by exotic fruits and vegetables.  A great cuisine is on the rise in Australia.

Bush tucker

Bush tucker is Australian terminology for the huge variety of herbs, spices, mushrooms, fruits, flowers, vegetables, animals, birds, reptiles and insects that are native to the country.

For centuries the aboriginal people of Australia have lived off the sunburnt land and used the plants that grew wild and natural. Through careful production, these foods that are known to few are becoming more widely available. A popular bush tucker dish is Damper, which the aboriginals originally ground seeds to make a flour, added water and made bread in the coals of their fires. Now the outback stockman can make bread with more refined flours and use camping equipment, but the natives had been doing it for years before.

Changes in Australian Cooking

The basic meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruits and breads have stayed the same in Australia but a few things have changed.  There has been more supplements from Asia in these categories and the methods of cooking have changed. The fast and fresh generation has  favored the wok instead of the boiling pot. Slow foods are doing a great job preserving these traditions of the family. Mostly, the presentation has changed. Foods are piled and cooked less, much like Modern American Cuisine. Foreign names are sometimes still used, but an explanation is often given to accompany the name. Names of dishes are used loosely like in the US. Terms like “Ragout” or “Mélange” have no exact equal, but can be interpreted  by the chef with creative license. The Australian chefs are being more innovative with their traditional roots to fresh and flavorful. Perhaps the most telling change is the use of bush spices and ingredients. These spices have gained the attention internationally in high culinary circles and continue to gain momentum.

Chef Sollya Richardson from New South Wales contends that “Even though, “Fast and Fresh” is the rage in cooking in Australia, Comfort foods are still enjoyed right along with the new dishes.”

Sticky Date Pudding

Makes 6-8 servings

1 ¼ cups dried seeded dates

1 ¼ cups boiling water

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ stick butter

½ cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup self rising flour

Sauce

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup heavy cream

5 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease cake pan and add baking paper.

Combine dates and water, bring to a boil Add baking soda and let stand 5 minutes

Blend or process date mixture with butter and sugar until pureed. Add eggs and flour.

Pour mixture in prepared pan.

Bake uncovered, in a 350F oven for 45 min to an hour. Let stand 10 minutes, turn out onto serving plate

For butterscotch sauce, combine ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir over low heat until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.

YUM, this is a very popular dish in Australia that is making a comeback as a wedding cake.