The Best Foods in Australia
Australia is home to an expansive, arid interior boasting an astonishing variety of landscapes and climates, from dense rainforests in Northern Queensland to desert sand islands of Western Australia – boasting an amazing diversity. This continent provides an amazing biodiversity.
Explore the depths of Australia with one-of-a-kind tours and adventures, learning about Aboriginal rock art, Dreamtime stories and traditional crafts such as weaving or cooking.
Table of Contents
Vegemite
Vegemite, an iconic condiment in Australia, is revered by locals. With a pungent aroma and deep umami flavor, it’s often spread on toast or stirred into recipes to add savory notes. Made from leftover beer brewer’s yeast from production processes and fortified with salt, vegetable extracts, and various B vitamins for optimum nutritional benefit, it makes an unforgettable taste experience!
Marmite was initially created as an alternative to Marmite, a British yeast spread which could not reach Australia due to World War I. Cyril P. Callister from The Fred Walker Company developed their version with additional ingredients including brewer’s yeast extract.
In 1928, Walker attempted to increase sales by renaming their product Parwill using a play on words that implied: if Marmite, then Parwill. Unfortunately this strategy failed and its original name was restored in 1935. Today Vegemite is manufactured in Port Melbourne, Australia, and distributed nationwide; various sizes can be found including 220-gram jars.
Iced VoVos
Iced VoVos, made by Arnott’s, are an iconic Australian biscuit. Constructed of wheat flour with an irresistibly delicious topping made up of two pink stripes of sweet fondant, raspberry jam and coconut pieces; its recipe has remained unchanged since first sold back in 1906.
Iced vovos are typically enjoyed as part of an afternoon tea or coffee break, though they can also make a great dessert or snack on their own. Making this biscuit requires few ingredients; simply follow an online recipe to craft your own batch of cookies!
Kevin Rudd, Australia’s then Prime Minister, joked to his team to enjoy an Iced VoVo and tea before heading into work, leading to skyrocketing sales of this biscuit – prompting Arnott’s Biscuits to send Parliament House in Canberra a pallet full of their goods as thanks.
Lamingtons
Lamingtons are an iconic Australian dessert and should not be missed by chocolate and coconut enthusiasts. Legend has it that lamingtons were accidentally created when a maidservant at Lord Lamington’s Government House in Queensland accidentally dropped a sponge cake into a tray of melted chocolate before covering it in coconut to avoid creating an accidental mess.
Lamingtons are typically served plain, though you can customize them with jam or whipped cream for added variety. Plus, lamington variations such as red velvet and choc-hazelnut are now becoming increasingly popular across cafes worldwide!
When making Lamingtons at home, using high-quality ingredients is crucial for getting the desired result. When selecting butter and finely milled flour for the sponge layer, select premium brands such as Swan’s Down or Softasilk that provide exceptionally tender results.
Meat Pie
One of Australia’s favorite foods is a meat pie, eaten for lunchtime with plenty of tomato sauce (ketchup) added. They can be found everywhere from cafes, bakeries, corner shops and supermarkets throughout Australia.
Traditional beef pies contain ground beef with onion, garlic, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. It’s important to brown the cubes before cooking in order to enhance their rich flavors, while the sauce must be reduced until it becomes fairly runny – however this can be tricky because too much reduction may dry out your meat while too little may flood the pastry and overflow onto its edges.
This homemade meat pie is created using wholemeal spelt flour and contains vegetables such as carrot and baby spinach for extra fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This makes it a nutritious alternative to store-bought pies which often contain refined flours, excess salt, and unhealthy vegetable or seed oils; plus the filling features fresh beef for increased protein.
