Australian Cuisine: Myths and Facts
Sept. 19 -- Most people think of Australian fare as one constantly drenched in the sun with the snappnig sound of a barbecue fire licking at its flesh.
But, to say Australians only consume big barbecued T-bone steaks, slabs of roasted kangaroo meat, and towering cans of cold beer would also say that you think Paul Hogan is the quintessential Australian hero — a notion more far-flung than an errant boomerang.
Australians are, in these festive times, cashing in a bit on their stereotypes, to be sure. The Fine Dining Restaurant at the Olympics site in Sydney has arranged for ample supplies of kangaroo for the curious foreign press. Other restaurants are adding ’roo to their menus for the Games. (Be aware it’s usually cooked very rare, since it’s a lean meat and can get tough if cooked medium. This is one of the reasons many Aussies leave the ’roo meat for the dog.)
But don’t let an “Outback syndrome” color your perceptions of Australian cuisine. There is much more going on in the country’s kitchens.
Casting Off the Yoke
“Today, Australia is at the cutting edge of the culinary art,” said David Evans, co-founder and board of management member of Tasting Australia, a biennial international food, wine and beverage festival held in South Australia. He is also the executive producer of Australian Broadcasting Corp.’s top food show, Consuming Passions.
“Twenty years ago, Australia was still trying to cast off the yoke of traditional Anglo-Saxon dullness. Australian cuisine now combines the very best fresh produce with adventurous matching of cuisines from Australia’s diverse [immigrant] cultures.
“In particular, we pride ourselves with the ‘clean, green’ environment in which we live,” Evans says. “Little pollution, combined with abundant space, allows for wonderful natural flavors in our meat, seafood and vegetables, needing little additional help to make a tasty meal.”
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