No more cultural cringe – the new Aussie food & drink
On ABC NSW radio
No more cultural cringe – the new Aussie food & drink
No longer suffering the cultural cringe, Australian food has come of age but on Australia Day it’s good to know that some Australian classics never change, like Vegemite (even though it’s not technically ours anymore), Anzac biscuits, damper, lamingtons and pavlova.
Then there’s scones & jam, billy tea, peas,pie,chips & gravy’ or pie floaters, spag bol and of course the ‘shrimp on the barbie’.
The good old-fashioned comfort food that’s never gone, just reinvented by today’s chefs like fish’n’chips, bangers & mash, prawn cocktail, pikelets, bread & butter pudding and the very Aussie rabbit, kangaroo, emu, crocodile all washed down with an ice cold beer!
Whether it’s being so far away from the rest of the world or the larrikin approach that we no longer need to follow the gastronomic rules, Australians, professional and amateurs alike, have embraced the constantly changing influences from our wonderfully diverse cultural mix. With access to some of the best fresh produce in the world we have now established ourselves as one of the most interesting, progressive ‘foodie’ nations in the world.
That doesn’t necessarily mean chucking out all the old, many are certainly worth keeping, just spiced up with new flavours. But certainly everyone would agree the days of overcooked, soggy vegies are definitely gone!
So how has Aussie food evolved?
What was popular ‘then’, what’s popular now?
I recently heard well known Australian author, David Dale, talking about his latest book The Little Book of Australia about who we are and the turning of the cultural cringe. He had some interesting examples:
Then Now
A cup of tea with milk and sugar Skim milk latte or cappuccino
Beer Sauvignon blanc (this year’s wine)
(last year it was Chardonnay)
Chicko roll Chicken wrap
Lamington Tiramisu
And a couple of my own suggestions:
Chocolate crackle Muffin & friand
Pepper steak Salt & pepper squid & octopus (once
only used for bait)
Anzac biscuits Wattleseed Anzac biscuits
Why not add to the list…..
But if you’re looking for some good old-fashioned Aussie recipes here’s one for Anzac biscuits or try these sites for some other oldies:
http://www.aussie-info.com/identity/food/
http://www.oldaussierecipes.com/
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ANZAC BISCUITS
During World War 1 these nutritious, long lasting biscuits, made with ingredients that wouldn’t spoil easily during the long sea voyage, were sent to our Australian soldiers overseas. Supposedly, the name was changed from Soldiers’ Biscuits to ANZAC Biscuits after the landing at Gallipoli. They were packed in used tins, such as Billy Tea tins, which kept them airtight.
Like any famous recipe there are many variations, but here is my favourite.
Anzac Biscuit Recipe
Makes 36
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar (raw, white or brown)
3/4 cup coconut
125g butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons boiling water
Method
Combine rolled oats, flour, sugar and coconut in a large bowl.
Place butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat until melted or microwave in a covered bowl on medium high, stirring occasionally.
Mix soda with boiling water. Stir mixture into butter.
Pour butter mixture into dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
Place tablespoonfuls of mixture onto a lightly greased or baking paper lined oven tray and flatten gently with a fork. Allow room for biscuits spreading as they cook.
Cook in moderately slow oven, 170°C for 20 minutes. Loosen biscuits from tray but leave to cool on tray.
When completely cold store in an airtight container.
Notes: Coconut can be reduced or omitted completely, but reduce the butter and sugar.
In: Information, Radio · Tagged with: Anzac biscuits, Australian food, Biscuits, easy recipe, food information
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