| | Australian Foods... just what have they become?Page 1 of 1 | Australian Foods... what a choice we have now ...
Interesting subject these days as more and more "ethnic" groups in Australia reclaim their foods and cooking styles... compared to how they have been presented to us over the years...
from the *greasy spoon greek/italian burger/fish and chip shops and small chinese suburban chop suey take aways that were the norm...and onwards to corpratised brand foods like pizza hut , kentucky fried, maccas etc.... added to the newer migrations from all over the planet... who were never exposed to our journey through their food menus... and started cooking with what they knew....introducing new veges to cook with ... foods from their regions...
it's been quite a food journey growing up here... the produce has always been fresh and available for people to use.....
and now the variety and authenticity of newer cooking establishments is staggering....
great eh?....
I remember being disappointed by my first pizza in Italy... a basic dough with a smear of thin tomato sauce a few bits of salami some cheese.... and that was it.. huh? is that it?..mhea.... not overly "grand" as aussie pizzas had become....no extensive list on a board... a pizza was a pizza... the one you get....  ..cappiche
....a dodgy roadside taco in Ensenada was a far cry from the ones we made on a kitchen bench here...with a host of shredded assorted ingredients ... fresh crispy lettuce...etc..
the truth always hurts ,I suppose...
I'm glad these different "foodstyles" have been reclaimed and more regionalised... by the different groups who call Oz home these days ...and they are free to cook in what style they like,... not what they think we might expect from past examples.......and we have an eager public to sample their efforts....
Swedish fare can be a bit weird,though... fermented herring is pushing it... ewwwwww.. | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/23/2009 8:05:40 AM | ^^^^^ To a point I must agree that so called national dishes are quite different to their homeland counterparts ... take Chinese foods for example ... I am told ( by Chinese nationals of course) that they dont have the foods that we attribute to their nationality .... least not the SAME foods. Their versions are very bland by comparison.
On the other hand, I am Italian by descent and had REAL Italian food as a staple right up to feb 28th 1972 ....
My mum was taught by her mum etc etc and I'll tell you right now .... what you buy in the shops and so on ain't a dull shine to the real deal .... You're right about the pizza and it should be on a pidda bread type of base, thin and almost crispy ... still, I love to dive right into an Eagle boys on cheepy nites even though the only Italian found in their pizza is ME ( on tuesday nites that is ...) !!
Must say, I miss mums foods and my Ex did pick up some of her recipes over the years ... she's out of the picture now too ... that leaves my Aunt, who also learned from my mum .... trouble is, she chews both my ears off every time I go there .
Why did you start this stupid ass thread anyway .... I'm Fcuken hungry now .... | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/23/2009 4:47:10 PM | | When I was studying I knew somebody who due to the usual student's lack of money , used to live on baked beans ... and I have to admit . well , I don't have to but will admit that as I don't cook much , I eat them from the can . Any side effects of baked bean diets are to be politely ignored . And of course there's tablespoons of Nutella as a staple . | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/23/2009 6:03:00 PM | Someone say 'Swedish fare' ?
yes yes yes, roll mops and pickled squid..., consumed on a heaving deck(I said 'deck'), and then get yourself a whiff of diesel fumes.., true test of an iron stomach.
But..., sort of Aussie fusion tucker. \/ \/
Cajun mix sprinkled on kangaroo(skippy steaks)..., (from behind the shoulder), seared(quickish) on a very hot bbq.
Mmm.., delicious, healthy and sustainable....., and don't even mention rocket or bloody truffle sauce etc. | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/26/2009 6:19:52 AM | take Chinese foods for example ... I am told ( by Chinese nationals of course) that they dont have the foods that we attribute to their nationality
Seriously, Asians have been laughing at non-Asians for their tastes in Chinese food since the dawn of time. The Chinese versions are not "bland" by comparison, we/they just have a whole different approach to food than western cultures. Some dishes are relatively bland to highlight their simplicity or complexity, some are intense for other reasons. Anyways, there are numerious dishes invented solely for the purpose of keeping the non-chinese customers happy. Lemon Chicken, anyone? South Melb Market dim sims?
The great thing about "Chinese" food in Australia is that a lot of great chefs have migrated here from Hong Kong since the '97 takeover. Many Chinese dishes here are on par with what you can find over there. Vietnamese food also. Melbourne, in particular, is the world's 3rd best place for Vietnamese food after Vietnam and Paris.
Actually, together with the quality of souvlakis and the bratwursts at the Vic Market and the fancy stuff like Jacques and Vue, I think Melbourne is one of the world's best places for food overall.
Yes.... My name is Tarvold. I am a food geek. | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/26/2009 5:35:49 PM | Swedish fare can be a bit weird,though... fermented herring is pushing it... ewwwwww..
I had a very swedish crissy a few years back..with swedish friends..
I LOVE SMORGASBOARD.. all the different varities etc.. I bowl/taste meals bore me after a few bites..
The raw salmon(a treat).. is kept in the fridge and cured? everyday( they do something to it)....I don't know what the salmon died of.. but the cure.. sure didn't cover the taste..
and yep they had the herring... first a small piece of fish is on your plate.. (tradition)
and everyone gets a shot glass.. (vodka.) you eat the fish.. then slug the vodka...
(my theory the vodka is supposed to kill the fish taste)... anyhoo.. I was a beer drinker..
was not used to spirits..
So... anyone could just stand up.. make a toast.. which means we eat more herring.. then more vodka....sighs.. and of course everuyone made a toast every few minutes..
My toast was .. for the love of God.. if anyone else makes a toast.. someones gunna have to carry me..
by the end of the night.. I couldn't stop mumbling... no more fish.. no more fish..
meant vodka...
Woke up the next day.. made my bed..packed.. ... Ohh no they say.. you can't go..
we have all the leftovers to eat.. I say.. 'you mean we're going to do that all again?...
in a crackling soft voice.. I said.. I don't think I can survive anymore fish.. vodka...
Well anyhoo... can't remember much about the weekend.. but apparently I had fun
ended up there 3 days i think...
and I do love them and their traditions.. very nice people..
wouldn't mind.. having a very authentic italian crissy.. now id love to try real Italian food..
sighs.. goes looks in the fridge at the dead celery.. hmmm.
peace | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/27/2009 2:07:56 AM | I truly love the fact that with over 100 different nationalities calling Australia home, we are indeed extremely lucky to be able to relish and delight in so many different tastes and pleasures of gourmet varieties from around the world. Albeit, some restaurants do modify their dishes for western tastes, but overall, in this, we are the lucky country.
No so lucky when one tries to cook said dish at home, and fails | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/27/2009 4:54:59 AM | these new food shows worry me.... and the restaurant dishes portrayed...
just WTF is piling all the food up in thin piles in the middle of a huge white plate got to do with filling your belly with tucker?....
like.. I'm hungry... and that's it?.... what about the rest of this huge plate?... surely there's room for a dozen of those penile stacks for the price you're chargin' sport....
deconstructing your food at the table.... where do you start.. from the top down,?.. go for the base straight away and do a tower of pisa falling simulation for your date?...dig away at various bits from the side to create a spectacular mini food avalanche down all sides at once... or skillful internal controlled food tower implosions .... new york style..
what is "tower" food etiquette these days?.... is there a correct way to tackle it?...
can you just squash them flat with the palm of your hand down onto the plate right at the start and it the normal spread out kinda way....
what?.. ( I feel the winces) most good places have napkins .. and/ or table cloths....
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/27/2009 10:03:19 AM | I'm so proud as I trot around the globe to tell people we have some of the best food in the world in Melbourne, certainly some of the worlds best restaurants.
I am presently in Hong Kong and my nose just had an orgasm walking the streets around town. Looking forward to a great Peking Duck on the weekend. After a week in Thailand and India the choice here is amazing but I do love restaurant shopping or even cooking in Melbourne.
As for Chinese (OP) there are so many different 'versions' depending on what province of China. I know in Melbourne's Chinatown that many restaurants will 'import' a Chef for 12 months and then he goes home again so we do get the authentic style. I know places where I can get Cantonese, Manderin or provincial Chinese all within a block. Even Indian has differeant styles depending on north and south.
At least in Australia we have the fresh produce most of the year and we Aussies do experiment with different foods. Most Indians will only eat Indian, most Asians will only eat Asian food but we Aussies will try anything that doesn't move on the plate! Friends of mine that spent a year in the UK couldn't wait to get back for the fresh fruit and Veg.
I have watched Jamie Olivers show but find in a bit boring as he is always cooking with UK ingredients and many of them are either rare or not available here. I mean we are not big eaters of rabbit and turnip are we?
Think I'll have Chinese tonight, sounds the go in Hong Kong. Bon Appetite.... | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/27/2009 11:54:17 AM | Ive only ever eaten roo once,the blokes that lived on the other house on the farm had a bonfire party and one of them marinaded up some roo kebabs.
He cooked them for his tastebuds though,while he was enjoying his kebab,the rest of us were drowning our throats in beer to put out the fire of all those chillis!! lol
Mexican and Italian food for me please,theres people that understand flavour!!
There used to be a very popular Mexican restaurant here called Los Amigos that everyone called Los Amemory because it was the beginning of a big night generally! lol....I do miss that Mexican food though!!
What is the archetypal Aussie meal anyway? I cant think of one. | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/27/2009 2:56:09 PM |
I'm so proud as I trot around the globe to tell people we have some of the best food in the world in Melbourne, certainly some of the worlds best restaurants.
absolutely, i feel the same, but since im already gettng very itchy feet again, , and have been wanting to head off somewhere for a while, youre making me very jealous!!
i love that we have such an incredible variety of food here, remember when the most exotic thing available was the greek or italian fish and chip shop??
we can now wander and choose practically anything from the world over, yum!!! | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/27/2009 6:09:39 PM | errrrpppp.... oooops...
just finished off last nights trifle desert with a handful of fresh local strawberrys tossed in...... finished off with a cup of tea.... mmmmmmm..
if that isn't good aussie tucker for brunch, I don't know what else is.... | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/30/2009 2:22:41 AM | If you have some decent restaurants in your area, there's nothing better than to be able to sample fine cuisine from a bunch of different cultures. To me, that's not a national blight or something to be fought, but embraced and enjoyed.
I understand they might not be 100% authentic, but even a close approximation's good enough for my palette...lol.
I love all kinds of food and blessed with some pretty good ethnic restaurants within easy driving distance: Italian, Chinese, Japanese steakhouses, French, Thai, etc. I'm part Mexican, so of course my favorite is good Mexican food. There are a couple good hangouts near me, thank gawd.
Bon Appetit | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 8/31/2009 3:33:25 AM | I miss Melbourne...........(sob, sob) and I really miss the proper greek souvlakis. I've tried the ones here in Adelaide and let me tell you they are seriously horrible.
Also miss the jam donuts at the Vic Market..................damn I'm homesick..................time for another visit I think.
I do agree with the posters that say Melbourne has some of the best restaurants. | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 9/3/2009 12:58:41 AM | brisbane has really stepped up in quality in the last few years, would be interested to hear other posters ideas on really good value resturants in there home towns if it doesnt take it too far off topic! up here, if u shake a tree, a steak place falls out! the thai places do really clean recipes, yum cha is nearly as good as melbourne, my personal fave is the seafood buffet at the marriot! what can get better then sitting around for 3 hours, eating ur own bodyweight in super fresh qld seafood washed down with some ice cold premium beers!!!!!  | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 9/3/2009 5:45:18 PM | con ten ted on 8/24/2009 2:05:40 AM
(On the other hand, I am Italian by descent and had REAL Italian food as a staple right up to feb 28th 1972 .... )
The Australian food story is one of adaptation;ingredients
and flavours have to change because of cooking methods
and styles,different utensils and the challenge of meeting
the needs of guests who would be 'confronted' by using the
authentic old methods and flavours in a 'new' country.
Given my parentage of British/Dutch/Portuguese/Italian
/Prussian/Spanish The adaptations were such that any
relevence to authentic cuisine associated with country of
origin was essentially a mish-mash of such mongrel concoction
that boggled the mind,increased the cholesterol levels to a stage
that heart failure was a 'fait Accompli' and meanwhile doubled
the body weight factor by at least 50%!EVERYTHING seemed
to ooze olive oil,condiments,pasta,cream and sugar!
It was thus essential to totally obliterate everything 'additive' to
the mix and rely on the NATURALtaste of pressure cooked red
lentils,silver beet,chinese bok choy and pak choy,dutch carrots,
German kipfler potatoes,stringless beans, corn cobs,peas and pumpkin.
Additionally,drained, washed and pre cooked chick peas were added
to this cooked 'goulash' and low glycaemic rice inculcated LATER into
the mix; thus removing 95%of the harmful effects associated with my 'fatal' inherintence!
My children were 'coerced','tortured'and subjugated with this recipe
on a nightly basis to 'howls' of 'I can't stand this Dad!' but their hunger
pangs got the better of them;they reached the stage where they kept
'pleading' for more and now we have in our home the new authentic
AUSSIE diet that I HOPE will translate to THEIR children as the
MONGREL mix inflicted by a vindictive and purpose driven
father with a maniacal desire to prevent his children from attaining
obesity,stroke,high blood pressure and hypoglycaemia if He can avoid it!
(PS;love the thought of subliminal torture! hm.......maybe I might try it
out on others........... ) | |
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 9/4/2009 4:02:51 AM | A few years ago now, I was listening to a chinese lady on the radio as she was being interviewed.
This lady had opened the first chinese take away on the Gold Coast way back when.
The lady nearly went broke because she thought that by selling chinese food done properly would sell but it didn't, Aussies like plenty of meat in their food and when she changed the composition of her meals she made a fortune.
Again some time later, I was talking to an Italian lady and she asked me how would I serve a spaghetti bolonaise, I cook for a living, and I asked if I was serving the meal as it should be or as it would be expected.
Her response was, as the meal should be and I said that if this was the case then the sauce would be the garnish to the spaghetti.
Australians are quite adventurous with their taste buds but only if the meal has plenty of meat to the dish with the exceptions being vegetarians/ vegans.
This isn't a bad thing but we should try the meal as it should be at least once.
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| Australian Foods... just what have they become?
Posted: 9/4/2009 4:42:23 AM | You go a long way to get a "proper aussie hamburger" these days... you know.. full salad -with beetroot and home made all beef pattie...
fortunately both the hamburger establishments in my fair one pub town make good 'ole aussie hamburgers to die for..... ...
and I've never left either place after consumption of one of their 'traditional" products without walking back to the counter and thanking the staff personally for a great 'burger... once again....
and of course when you enter either establishment nowdays one is met with a welcoming smile... and the feeling that they are going to make a 'burger for YOU .... maybe put an extra slice of beetroot on for a local officianado.... 'burp....
.ooops... thinking out aloud....  ... de-ja burger... | |
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