Food & Recipes

The infinite variety of foods in Australia reflects the diversity of its land and provides for a rich cuisine. In the South, dense pine forests and lush green pastures cover the land that is used to grow cattle and prime lamb, whilst its cold, clean southern waters provide delicious lobster and scallops. Along its length grow citrus, grapes, stone fruits, melons, tomatoes and a cornucopia of vegetables crops for local, interstate and international markets. World class wines grow in the slightly cooler climate of the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley. Sharing the lower slopes of the hills are apple and cherry orchards, berry farms and almond orchards, whilst the west coast has a wealth of seafood such as whiting, oysters and tuna.

The food culture brought to Australia by English immigrants

English immigrants first settled in South Australia in 1836, in ships such as "HMS Buffalo", a replica of which is to be seen at Holdfast Bay. These folk established themselves on the Adelaide Plains, some gradually taking up agricultural land in the Adelaide Hills. In 1839 persecuted Lutheran immigrants from Prussia arrived, looking to establish their community in a free land, and moved to Hahndorf or the Barossa Valley. My own forebears arrived on the "Isabella Watson" in 1846. These people brought with them traditional English recipes, many of which appear in my own grandmother's handwritten recipe book, such as Stewed Chops, Potato Dumplings and Jam Pudding. They were all simple recipes, not requiring complicated ingredients, and not costing much money, a style of cookery that reflected the modest means of the time. Among the English immigrants were sheep graziers providing prime lamb, others farmed beef cattle and still others became the butchers, bakers and candlestick makers of newly established towns. Many recipes, in hand written recipe books, brought to Australia by migrant women have been passed from one cook to another down the years. These recipes still hold their place in home cooking of today including Lamb Roast, Lamingtons, tasty Steak and Kidney Pies. They have been joined by dishes that have earned their special place in Australian history, such as the Pavlova, Soldier's Cake and Anzac Biscuits, and of course for genteel afternoon teas, the Lamington and Pumpkin Scones.

Damper: A damper is traditional Australian bread, made without yeast, and commonly made on a campfire in a cast iron camp oven. 

Indigenous Australian food or native food

For centuries the indigenous people of this country have used the fruits and plants growing widely on the land. Indigenous foods are becoming more widely known and available, being grown very successfully by a group of visionary farmers in South Australia, and enabling the creation of dishes such as; Calamari seasoned with lemon myrtle, Lemon myrtle linguine tossed with local scallops and prawns, Native spinach fettuccine with Springs Smoked Salmon with creamy bush tomato and macadamia sauce, Kangaroo fillet crusted with Mountain Pepper, and served with a pepper berry dressing and fresh leaf salad. Damper is a perfect example of a food passed from one tradition to another. The aboriginal people have traditionally ground seeds to make a kind of flour, added water and baked a kind of Damper in the coals of their cooking fires. Damper became the means of outback stockmen having fresh bread, but using the more traditional flours, and using a camp oven for baking in the hot coals of the camp fire.

In Oz exist a little freshwater crustacean that lurks on the bottom of streams, lakes and in farm dams, they are called Yabbies, Their delicate, sweet flavour and firm texture has won lavish praise from connoisseurs the world over. They are absolutely delicious, and can be used in Yabbie Chowder, Yabbie Pate, or Yabbie Stir Fry with Asian vegetables.

As a conclusion we can say that Australia is one of the countries showing more interest in everything related to cooking, and today, Australian chefs are renowned worldwide, with a long variety of food, seafood and vegetables that make the food interesting and delicious.