Ok, so I know I have been very good these last several months and now there is a bit less of me to love. I like having a trim waist again, but Aussie food is going to be my temptation for sure!
Here are some of my favorites so far: Meat Pies, Sausage Rolls, Tim Tams, Mint Cookies. And I haven't even gotten started into my food adventures yet! Australia really is a food crossroads. They have been strongly influenced by their British roots-the meat pies and sausage rolls are great examples of these. Read any good British novel, and somewhere there are mentioned a good, hot, bubbly meat pie! If you are interested in a good recipe, here's a link- Meat pie and you will love them! Think of it as a puff pastry topped, no veggie allowed, pot pie, and you pretty well have it. Sausage rolls are nearly as good. They are sausage and herbs wrapped in puff pastry. You can cut into 1.5 inch pieces for appetizers, or keep 6-7 inches for a main. I have found long link sausage varieties as well as finely ground meat and herbs with no casings-my personal favorites.
Another culinary area that has a strong place in Aussie food is India. There is a large minority of Australians of Indian descent-several families I have met have been here 2-4 generations. Of course, as part of the British Commonwealth, India and Australia have a long history prior to India's independence. So, from India-the curries! My favorite so far is Red Curry, which I have made several times. It really is easy and ingredients are easily available here, and in the US as well. I use a prepared red curry paste (mild for the kids palates), 1 can reduced fat coconut milk, fish sauce, ground Thai herbs, chicken breast or thighs (shrimp works well too!), and frozen veggies of your favorite variety. I prefer the kinds with broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, but anything really will work. Here's how super easy it is to make-heat up a large frying pan and add 2 tbs of red curry paste. Move around for a minute or so until it smells wonderful. Add in your cut up meat if using chicken or beef and cook until browned. Add the coconut milk and stir. Let simmer until the meat is cooked. If using seafood, add after the mix simmers for 5 minutes or so to let the flavor develop in the curry and simmer for a couple of minutes until cooked. Add the veggies and simmer until they are heated. Serve over hot cooked rice. Omit the meat if you prefer vegetarian. I have only just begun to explore the Indian food!
Japanese, other Asian, and Pacific Islands have also influenced the local eats. You can order Sushi just about anywhere-there are 2 or 3 sushi stands in the local mall food court alone! The strip mall where I get our Dominos pizza has an Indian, Sushi, and ice cream store as well as a bank and 2 offices for local political representatives.
I do have to comment here on ready to eat foods, such as frozen entrees and such that are popular in the states for a quick lunch. I recall prices being about $2-$3 per box, less of course if you can find on sale to stock up or at Dollar Tree! 1 simple and small Lean Cuisine runs about $5, on sale about $4.50. I found a line of shelf stable Sun Luck rice and currys that are $4.99. A family sized lasagna is $15 to $19 and is about 2/3 the size of the typical American comparable item. Australia really seems to discourage the consumption of these types of foods-they are taxed at checkout at the going 10% GST whereas "real" food items are not. Lyle goes out to eat nearly every day working in the downtown area-food there is hot, reliable, and about as cost effective as packing a lunch and trying to get it to work without leaking in his bag. He gets 4 sushi rolls and a coffee for about $7, or teriaki chicken and rice for $8. Sandwiches are between $5 and $9 depending on fillings and locations. The kids have hot food available Wednesday-Friday at school. Items go for $3 to $6 and are really good! No chicken nuggets here-spinach and feta triangles, Greek pasta salad, grilled sandwiches, chicken wraps, etc. We are proud that the school received a Gold medal from the state school nutrition review. It's only the 2nd school in all of Queensland to earn it, and the 1st in Brisbane. Way to go Camp Hill!
I also have to mention the sausage sizzle. Sausage sizzle is very simple-a long sausage grilled and served diagonally on a slice of white bread. Top with grilled onions and a bit of tomato sauce (ketchup) and it's a keeper! Very popular for fundraiser food. You can get for about $2 or so, and they are tasty! The swim club canteen serves at the Friday night club meets, and it's a fast dinner at home too.
Seafood is very popular too. Fish, shellfish, octopus, shrimp, you name it, they serve it. Deliciously too!
So, have to make sure I don't eat all the meat pies and sausage rolls. Just remember, portion control and exercise is everything!
Annika is signing up for Cricket this week for a 5 week run. Link for the rules-if you can come up with a simpler way to describe them, let me know! Cricket rules Alex also did her first swim meet last Friday-she got 26 seconds in the freestyle and 30 for the backstroke. Saturday we went to a wedding at the Botanical Gardens on Mt. Coot-tha and Alex to a school Disco. She has since been fighting a virus and is home today from school. When that kid sleeps 11 hours, you know she is not feeling well! Ian is now caught up on his vaccinations for school-in the US! He and Annika will need to get 1 more Hepatitis B (they require 4 doses here, 3 in the US) and they do a Meningitis vaccine before age 8 that is optional in the US prior to leaving for college. The country pays for all required vaccinations if you are a citizen or here on a work visa, so in they go to be jabbed. Alex will have another round of shots prior to grade 8 when she goes to secondary school. She is sooo excited! HA!
Here are some of my favorites so far: Meat Pies, Sausage Rolls, Tim Tams, Mint Cookies. And I haven't even gotten started into my food adventures yet! Australia really is a food crossroads. They have been strongly influenced by their British roots-the meat pies and sausage rolls are great examples of these. Read any good British novel, and somewhere there are mentioned a good, hot, bubbly meat pie! If you are interested in a good recipe, here's a link- Meat pie and you will love them! Think of it as a puff pastry topped, no veggie allowed, pot pie, and you pretty well have it. Sausage rolls are nearly as good. They are sausage and herbs wrapped in puff pastry. You can cut into 1.5 inch pieces for appetizers, or keep 6-7 inches for a main. I have found long link sausage varieties as well as finely ground meat and herbs with no casings-my personal favorites.
Another culinary area that has a strong place in Aussie food is India. There is a large minority of Australians of Indian descent-several families I have met have been here 2-4 generations. Of course, as part of the British Commonwealth, India and Australia have a long history prior to India's independence. So, from India-the curries! My favorite so far is Red Curry, which I have made several times. It really is easy and ingredients are easily available here, and in the US as well. I use a prepared red curry paste (mild for the kids palates), 1 can reduced fat coconut milk, fish sauce, ground Thai herbs, chicken breast or thighs (shrimp works well too!), and frozen veggies of your favorite variety. I prefer the kinds with broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, but anything really will work. Here's how super easy it is to make-heat up a large frying pan and add 2 tbs of red curry paste. Move around for a minute or so until it smells wonderful. Add in your cut up meat if using chicken or beef and cook until browned. Add the coconut milk and stir. Let simmer until the meat is cooked. If using seafood, add after the mix simmers for 5 minutes or so to let the flavor develop in the curry and simmer for a couple of minutes until cooked. Add the veggies and simmer until they are heated. Serve over hot cooked rice. Omit the meat if you prefer vegetarian. I have only just begun to explore the Indian food!
Japanese, other Asian, and Pacific Islands have also influenced the local eats. You can order Sushi just about anywhere-there are 2 or 3 sushi stands in the local mall food court alone! The strip mall where I get our Dominos pizza has an Indian, Sushi, and ice cream store as well as a bank and 2 offices for local political representatives.
I do have to comment here on ready to eat foods, such as frozen entrees and such that are popular in the states for a quick lunch. I recall prices being about $2-$3 per box, less of course if you can find on sale to stock up or at Dollar Tree! 1 simple and small Lean Cuisine runs about $5, on sale about $4.50. I found a line of shelf stable Sun Luck rice and currys that are $4.99. A family sized lasagna is $15 to $19 and is about 2/3 the size of the typical American comparable item. Australia really seems to discourage the consumption of these types of foods-they are taxed at checkout at the going 10% GST whereas "real" food items are not. Lyle goes out to eat nearly every day working in the downtown area-food there is hot, reliable, and about as cost effective as packing a lunch and trying to get it to work without leaking in his bag. He gets 4 sushi rolls and a coffee for about $7, or teriaki chicken and rice for $8. Sandwiches are between $5 and $9 depending on fillings and locations. The kids have hot food available Wednesday-Friday at school. Items go for $3 to $6 and are really good! No chicken nuggets here-spinach and feta triangles, Greek pasta salad, grilled sandwiches, chicken wraps, etc. We are proud that the school received a Gold medal from the state school nutrition review. It's only the 2nd school in all of Queensland to earn it, and the 1st in Brisbane. Way to go Camp Hill!
I also have to mention the sausage sizzle. Sausage sizzle is very simple-a long sausage grilled and served diagonally on a slice of white bread. Top with grilled onions and a bit of tomato sauce (ketchup) and it's a keeper! Very popular for fundraiser food. You can get for about $2 or so, and they are tasty! The swim club canteen serves at the Friday night club meets, and it's a fast dinner at home too.
Seafood is very popular too. Fish, shellfish, octopus, shrimp, you name it, they serve it. Deliciously too!
So, have to make sure I don't eat all the meat pies and sausage rolls. Just remember, portion control and exercise is everything!
Annika is signing up for Cricket this week for a 5 week run. Link for the rules-if you can come up with a simpler way to describe them, let me know! Cricket rules Alex also did her first swim meet last Friday-she got 26 seconds in the freestyle and 30 for the backstroke. Saturday we went to a wedding at the Botanical Gardens on Mt. Coot-tha and Alex to a school Disco. She has since been fighting a virus and is home today from school. When that kid sleeps 11 hours, you know she is not feeling well! Ian is now caught up on his vaccinations for school-in the US! He and Annika will need to get 1 more Hepatitis B (they require 4 doses here, 3 in the US) and they do a Meningitis vaccine before age 8 that is optional in the US prior to leaving for college. The country pays for all required vaccinations if you are a citizen or here on a work visa, so in they go to be jabbed. Alex will have another round of shots prior to grade 8 when she goes to secondary school. She is sooo excited! HA!
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