We Aussies have a rich culinary culture. We’re an elegant bunch, and we feast luxuriously on Vegemite, hot pies, and snags on white bread. But tourists who are visiting Australia rarely experience the obscure foods that make Australia great.
We’re more than just Vegemite toast and flavoured milk. Although those things are undeniably a huge part of our culture.
This is not a list of the foods that would come to mind if a non-Australian were to think about Aussie cuisine. This is the true blue, authentic, underground stuff that everyday Australians grew up with.
Potato Cakes
Ok, so these aren’t necessarily Australian. They sell them elsewhere. But they’re a huge part of our culture.
As is the impassioned ongoing debate about what to call them. Queenslanders call them potato scallops. South Australians prefer potato fritters. Victorians call them potato cakes. This debate may seem silly but do not underestimate the rage of Australians regarding deep-fried potato snacks. When the topic arises, brothers turn on brothers, friends turn on friends, parents turn on their children. Each time a Northerner tells a Southerner what they’d like from fish and chips, all hell breaks loose.
Potato cakes aren’t just a fish and chips delicacy. You get dry pre-made ones in paper bags from corner shops and milk bars. You get fancy artisan ones for $14 each from fancy cafes. You get greasy crispy ones from the local takeaway. They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. The little black dress of food.
Pavlova
Ok, so this one isn’t exclusive to Australia either. The Pavlova debate is a classic, though not as heated as the potato cake/scallop/fritter disagreement. The question is- does the pav hail from New Zealand or Australia? There are mixed answers. It was recorded in both nations almost one hundred years ago. It was named for a Russian ballerina. The pavlova is certainly a globetrotting icon.
Whether you consider this dessert Australian or not, nobody can deny that it’s a huge part of our cuisine. The humble pavlova, usually called a “pav”, is eaten mainly on Christmas.
Dim Sims
Another Australian mystery… what is in a dim sim? For generations, primary school playgrounds have been a hotbed for rumours regarding the contents of dim sims. The main theory was cats. As it turns out, the truth is a lot more boring, but a lot less nauseating. Dim sims are simply filled with meat, cabbage, and seasoning. Who knew?
Dim sims are another fish and chip shop delicacy, but, like potato cakes, can be purchased elsewhere. Usually, they’re either purchased deep-fried with a crispy batter or steamed in a baggie with soy sauce.
Lamingtons
Lamingtons are another Australian dessert, but this time there’s no question about where they originated. Lamingtons are Australian through and through. They’re not as complicated or exotic as they may sound. They’re simply squares of sponge cake or butter cake, coated in chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut. Once they’re set, they have a very unique and distinctive texture and taste.
Some people think they’re a gift from heaven itself. Some think they’re a waste of perfectly good cake and chocolate sauce. But everyone agrees they’re an iconic Australian delicacy.
Woolies cake
All those who grew up in Australia know the siren song of the Woolies cake. The mud cake is the most popular flavour, but Woolworths has expanded its range to include caramel and white mud cake.
This cake was trotted out at every childhood birthday party, sometimes with an edible picture of your favourite character slapped on top if your parents couldn’t afford a custom Spiderman or Barbie cake. This $6 beauty is unrivalled by the most expensive artisan cake. It has even been transformed into a wedding cake by happy couples who decided their big day was best celebrated with an iconic old friend.
Chiko Rolls
Prior to 1951, Australians faced an inner battle. Whilst watching sports games, do you go hungry, or do you distract your mind and hands with a difficult snack? Enter the Chiko roll. Designed to be eaten with one hand and little to no thought involved, the Chiko roll was the perfect handheld low-maintenance snack. No more spilling your beer or dripping food down yourself because you were trying to juggle a complicated snack.
Requiring no plate or cutlery, the Chiko roll can be eaten almost anywhere. These rolls are not weak and flimsy- they’re sturdy, able to survive sports matches and eating on the go. It slots neatly into its own little bag for easier handling.
It seems that iconic Australian foods always have a history of contention. Chiko rolls caused a disagreement when three different members of parliament each claimed that Chiko rolls were invented in their respective hometowns.
ANZAC biscuits
These sturdy but sweet biscuits are a significant piece of Australian history. ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) biscuits are eaten mainly on ANZAC day (though they can be enjoyed all throughout the year) in honour of the wives and mothers who saw their loved ones off to war. They wanted to send them a treat that wouldn’t spoil or go stale too easily, and these syrupy biscuits were the perfect solution.
Fantales
There is no better way to lose a tooth than to battle your way through a rock-hard chocolate-coated caramel. The snack that loves you back- by educating you on Hollywood’s finest. The wrappers of Fantales contain biographies of celebrities, so you have something to read while you eat.
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