Food and Wine in Australia

Food and Wine Australia (Photo credit: AboutAustralia.com.au)

Call me a piglet, but there is something so rewarding about learning the culture of a country through my taste buds. In Australia, because the population is made up of such a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, they have an incredibly diverse and interesting food scene. There is also the fact that they have some of the finest wine-growing regions in the world, and an abundance of great local produce. Yep, dining in Australia is a treat for the senses, and I'm about to take you on a culinary journey. Whether you’re living it up in Brisbane apartments and Sydney hotels or camping under the stars with some bush tucker at Uluru, the food and wine of this country will seduce you as much as the beaches and wide open spaces.


Bush Tucker

Bush Tucker (Photo credit: australiantraveller.com)

Bush Tucker is the name given to food found in the bush and created using traditional Australian Aboriginal techniques. The Australian Indigenous people are the rightful owners of the land, and bush tucker is one of the traditions that has remained, even throughout colonization. It involves grinding grains to make bread, finding berries and grubs (eek!) that can serve as a good source of protein and understanding where you can
find food and water. Bush tucker is a learning experience about the way indigenous people used to live as much as it is a way of eating, so the best way to experience it is with an Indigenous guide in the outback somewhere.

Asian Cuisine

Asian Pad Thai

Australia has a massive Asian population, due in part to rigorous immigration after both world wars and also to its proximity to Asia. As a result, they’re lucky enough to experience some of the finest Asian cuisine on earth, something that combines ancient techniques with high quality local ingredients to (dare I say it?) improve on perfection. Chinatown in Sydney is a great hub of all things Asian, and a meal there will not only prove delicious, but inexpensive, too!

Mediterranean

Lebanese Pide

Australian climate, along with the influx Australia saw of Mediterranean immigration after WW2 means that Mediterranean palates have influenced a large portion of the Australian diet. Italian, Greek, Maltese and Lebanese immigration meant that Aussies started getting a lot more garlic and a lot more taste on their forks, and once they tried it, they never went back. Try Maltese Pastizzis, Greek Yiros, Lebanese Pides and
Italian Cannoli.

Wine

Australian Wine

When it comes to Aussie wine everyone knows they’ve got the formula pretty much down pat. The Barossa Valley in South Australia, the Hunter Valley in NSW and the Margaret River region in Western Australia make up a triangle of superb wine, each region having its own specialty. If you want heavy, rich reds with a healthy dose of flavour then the Barossa Valley can’t be beaten. For unique and delicious Semillon the Hunter Valley is the place to go and if you’re looking for a Sauvignon Blanc, head straight for the Margaret River region.

These are just a few of the gourmet delights on offer when you visit Australia, so get that travel insurance sorted, book those plane tickets and experience it all for yourself!