A celebration of all things Australian

The popular image of Australian food is of a meaty barbecue, washed down with lashings of beer. But modern, refined cooking is about so much more drawing on the multi-cultural mix that has made Australia such a vibrant country.

So what is Australia Day?

Australia Day, 26 January, commemorates the anniversary of Captain Arthur Phillip unfurling the British flag at Sydney Cove in New South Wale in 1788, thus proclaiming British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard.
 
Within a few decades, the newly settled Australians were celebrating their national day with gusto, expressing sentiments of Australian patriotism as the land prospered. This feeling was added to in 1817 when Governor Macquarie recommended that the continent be known as Australia, instead of New Holland.

The first official celebrations were in 1818, 13 years after white settlement began and featured a 30-gun salute, sumptuous dinner and ball. By the 50th anniversary a number of events were held in celebration and, for the first time, 26 January was declared a public holiday.

Balmain bugs and billabongs

Today, Australian food is a glorious melting pot of culinary influences, reflecting the many different nationalities that have migrated there, as well as its geographical position – contemporary Australian food draws heavily on Oriental ingredients, cooking styles and traditions from Thailand, China and Malaysia, such as noodle dishes and soups, stir-fries and curries. One factor in the popularity of this type of food is that Australia is blessed with superb fresh fish, tropical fruits and vegetables and wonderful seafood.

But there is another, native influence on the national cuisine, drawn from Aboriginal dishes and this is, perhaps, where the collective love of barbecues comes in – bush tucker, by necessity, often involved cooking whole wallabies, kangaroos, turtles and other creatures in a pot over an open fire, or on a rudimentary barbecue.

Perhaps surprisingly, given the climate, traditional British food also remains popular. Early settlers took such staples as roast dinners and steamed suet puddings, cakes and crumpets and these have survived to this day in some households.

Modern Australian food is often referred to as Pacific rim or fusion food embracing, as it does, so many flavourful influences. The emphasis is on freshness and flavour – from a platter of chargrilled Balmain bugs (similar to tiger prawns) to a chicken and noodle salad, anointed with lime juice, herbs and fresh chillies. But, thanks to the diverse nationalities that have settled there, you can easily eat and cook Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern, Dutch, Thai and British food.