Ozzie Obzervations
Billy Tea, Beet Root, Bacon, Beer
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Whether it is billy tea over an open fire or Devonshire tea at the Hilton, Australian cuisine is always an experience.
Beet root seems to be the prevalent staple food in every Aussie diet. Every burger, sandwich, and salad contains at least one helping of beet root (sliced, shredded or diced).
In addition to adding both color and flavor to the food, the pieces of beet root that fall onto one's lap provide an opportunity to try many of the local stain removers on wash day (we found NapiSan most useful). If beet root is not available, a hefty slathering of Vegemite is an acceptable substitute.
Typical brekkie
An Australian will typically start his day with a breakfast "fry-up" consisting of sausages, bacon, hash browns and tomatoes. Cooked sausages are normally wrapped in soft, white, non-fibre bread and eaten with the hands.
The breakfast may also include Vegemite and butter on toast, a favorite with the true blue. The littlies also like their Weet-Bix (the preferred breakfast of footy champions as advertised on TV). We found Weet-Bix interesting but best left to someone else.
Breakfast is eaten early in the morning and is followed by morning tea in the late morning and lunch in the early afternoon. Afternoon tea is observed in the late afternoon followed by dinner sometime between 6 and 9pm. Supper is taken anytime after the end of the dinner hour.
Lollies are great fillers between meal times and are eaten any time after breakfast. When Australians are not eating or sucking on lollies they like to drink beer.
Popular potent potable
Beer is a popular potent potable and there are endless varieties from which to choose. XXXX (pronounced 4X) brand is brewed right here in downtown Brisbane. It is rumored that Queenslanders don't know how to spell the word "beer," hence the easy name. Although XXXX is palatable, we find that the taste of Crown Lager or Toohey's Old Black Ale is by far superior and worth the extra dollar or two a bottle. Beer is best-served ice cold straight from the esky.
Australians also love their coffee — instant Nescafe Blend 43 seems to be the most popular. Arnott's Tim Tams or Mint Slices are the preferred bickie to accompany Blend 43 although fruit cake and damper bread can be eaten.
When in the local café, ordering coffee can be a bit confusing when asked: "Would you like a short black, long black, flat white, cappuccino, macchiato, caffe latte, ice coffee or a mugacino?"
There is no such thing as straight brewed coffee.
Next page: Spyders and Sausage Rolls
- Driving in Australia and Other Aussie Experiences
- U-Turns and Highways
- Billy Tea, Beet Root, Bacon, Beer
- Spyders, Sausage Rolls
- Does the Water Go Counter-clockwise?
- Big Things in the Big Country
- Clubs and Culture
- Birds, Fish and Crawly Things
- Lizards, Leeches and Cane Toads
From our Forum: "When we took a couple of Pommie friends out to lunch, they looked totally mystified when the Aussies ordered one strong macchiato, a weak capp, a long black and a flat white. After a few moments they caught on: 'Are you ordering coffee?'." — Mark
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