National cuisine of Australia for gourmets

The national cuisine of Australia is one of the most exotic and diverse culinary traditions, in which the taste preferences of many people of the world have been whimsically mixed. At different times, people from European and Asian countries contributed to the development of Australian cuisine, making it truly international. Among the popular dishes in the country, there are also the absolute endemics – those dishes that cannot be tried anywhere else. They amaze tourists with their unique taste and original composition. In the modern kitchen of Australia, delicacies from opossum, kenguryatin, buffalo, crocodile, or ostrich meat are gastronomic treats for tourists. However, you can buy fresh kangaroo meat at the price of regular beef in almost any shop.

Meat is the basic ingredient in Australian cuisine used in most recipes. In restaurants, customers are offered dishes from pork, beef, lamb, poultry, and game. Among some favorite Australian foods are steak with blood, beefsteak with bananas, stewed mutton ham, boiled brains with butter and red wine, tongue ragout with vegetables, Melbourne chicken with eggplant, chicken cooked in beer, veal chops under blackberry sauce, fried turkey and kenguryatin in kvadonga sauce. Grilled dishes are also very popular. In Australia, you can easily find a barbecue area as this is something of a national sport among the locals.

The Australian menu uses fresh fish, lobsters, blue crabs, prawns, freshwater oysters and scallops, as well as shark lips, and fried eels, which are abundantly sold in supermarkets and fish markets. They are prepared according to refined recipes under multi-component sauces, and served with a rice garnish. Traditional dishes include Tasmanian glazed salmon baked with tomatoes, croutons, barracuda and barramundi fish, fried snapper or white-bait, and trout cooked in a special way. The fish is put on a brazier with coals covered with a layer of grass. On top of it is laid another layer of grass with additional portions of hot coals. The fish baked in this way has a very special taste. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Australia is a real fruit paradise. A list of fruits abundant here are; fragrant apples and pears from Tasmania, kiwi, bananas, pineapples, citrus fruits, papaya, avocado, mango, lychee, peaches of the zhondong. All these can be eaten with garnish from meat or fish dishes, as well as in the form of salads or desserts. The variety of vegetables and seasonings grown here are also amazing. There are among them different kinds of cabbage and lettuce, potatoes, beans and lentils, corn, tomatoes, spinach, Indian spices, lemon myrtle, and Tasmanian pepper. The bitter-salted paste “vedjimayt”, beloved by Australians is prepared from celery and onions on the basis of beer wort with a lot of salt. And, dense apple chutney is prepared from apples with raisins and spices.

It is definitely worth trying the pie made from puff dough with meat stuffing, excellent sheep cheese, and local wines, all sold in Australia. Some extremely delicious Australian desserts include: meringues with kiwi and whipped cream, chocolate cake “Lamington” with coconut chips, sweet-coated frog cake with cream filling, Arnott biscuits, “Anzak” cookies from oat flakes and coconut, “elven bread” – triangular slices with butter and colored dragee. Gourmets can pay attention to the cuisine of the Aborigines – “Bush Tucker”. Among them you can find “dumper” bread made from flour and water and baked on charcoal, soup from the meat of whole fried bull, mango and local barravong nuts, food from beetles or larvae.

The standard Australian breakfast consists of a hot meal, eggs, sausages or ham, and a compulsory sandwich with wedge-master or chutney. For lunch, locals eat steak with vegetables, meat soufflé, or salad with “Chester cheese”. Dinner is the main meal. It comprises of a snack, first and second courses with side dishes, and dessert. As for drinks, tea or fruit juice with lemon, mint, and ginger is preferred. Australia can boast of her unique wines, which is not inferior in taste to those of European competitors. These include brands like “Semillon” from Hunter Valley, “Muscat” and “Tokai” from Victoria, “Merlot”, “Kangaroo Ridge” and “Dark Horse”. The national pride of the country is “Fosters” beer.

Australians like to eat out; there are many diverse cafes and restaurants in every residential area. In local pubs, you can taste different types of beer, and enjoy some beef steak with potatoes, salads, grilled sausages, and chickens. On the Australian continent, fast food is in great demand. Subsequently, in almost all cities you can find fast food outlets offering sandwiches, fried fish with French fries, pizza, kebab, or a meat pie with ketchup. Most catering establishments are open from 10am to 10pm. On Mondays, restaurants are often closed. Tips usually do not exceed ten percent of the bill.