When those Aussie borders finally open again, here are some authentic Australian foods to delight your taste buds with for a truly immersive and, dare we say, tasty Australian experience!
Vegemite
Whatever you do, don’t mistake it for Nutella! Less is always more when vegemite is concerned! The salty, yeasty spread is usually enjoyed on buttered toast or eaten with crackers and cheese. Made from yeast extract, it is a by-product of brewing beer, and while it may be one of those flavours you either love or hate, it is a definite must-try!
Fairy bread
The childhood treat that just keeps on giving! It’s the perfect excuse to eat an excessive amount of 100’s and 1000’s on some fresh white buttered bread. It’s weird, it’s wonderful, and it’s a true Aussie treat! The iconic snack even has its own special day and is honoured every year on World Fairy Bread Day on 24 November.
This high protein snack is an Aboriginal delicacy found in the Australian Outback. Harvested below the root system of a witchetty tree, they really bring the wow factor along with the taste of the Aussie Outback to any occasion. When enjoyed raw, they apparently taste like almonds, but if the slippery texture isn’t for you, they are great when lightly cooked – the skin becomes super crispy and they taste like chicken or prawns with a subtle peanut sauce.
Meat pie floater
The classic Aussie meat pie is a national treasure and almost every bakery or supermarket has ample supply, but to truly revel in an authentic Aussie meat pie experience, you must try a meat pie floater. A floater is a meat pie that is either sitting or submerged in a thick pea soup and topped with some good old tomato sauce for the final finishing flourish! This soggy pastry delight was the ultimate late-night comfort food delight across Australia back in the day. While New Age renditions have refined the dish somewhat, a true Aussie floater can still be found on some bakery and pub menus in South Australia.
Once tried, never forgotten! This treat is dangerously delicious and highly addictive! It consists of a layer of chocolate cream sandwiched between chocolate malt biscuits, enrobed in a lush coating of chocolate. A “Tim Tam Slam” is the official way to best enjoy this snack in true Aussie fashion! One simply bites off one diagonal from each corner of the biscuit, then with a fresh cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate at the ready, use the Tim Tam as a straw to suck the drink through the biscuit! The Tim Tam Slam is a sticky sweet chocolate experience you won’t soon forget.
Lamingtons
These “furry” little delights make for great afternoon snacks. They’re sweet little squares of vanilla sponge coated in a chocolate topping and rolled in desiccated coconut. How do you know when you get a really good lamington or “lammo”? The coconut covers your lips while the sweet chocolate layer coats your teeth – there’s nothing quite like a “lammo” smile in the “arvie” (afternoon) in Australia!
Kangaroo meat
Is it even an authentic Aussie “barbie” (barbeque) without kangaroo meat in some form or another? While it may seem weird to serve up their national animal, it’s popular because it’s high in protein, super lean, has a distinct flavour of its own and is super unique to Australia, of course.
Moreton Bay Bug
Australia is well known for its bug rolls, and while Moreton Bay Bugs might look like insects, they’re actually similar to crayfish and are seriously delicious. Don’t let the name deter you – they’re inexpensive, great when grilled with butter or deep-fried, and are the very best bug-free treat out there.
Damper
A traditional Australian bread, made from a simple paste using only wheat flour, water and a pinch of salt baked off in the ashes of a campfire, this is delicious with a hearty smear of butter. Don’t let the name put a “dampener” on any occasion – it’s quintessential to serve up a fresh damper at any truly authentic Aussie campfire experience.
Love all things from Down Under? Then be sure to catch Australian police detective Ron Iddles in action in The Good Cop, which can be viewed on CBS Justice, DStv channel 170, every Sunday at 7pm.