Enlighten this yank about Australia

[sparky-elpaso]

I use the "Taste" website whenever I'm looking for inspiration for just about any food situation - family dinner, entertaining, barbecuing, etc - it's excellent.

I particularly like that most recipes have a photo - definitely helps in aquiring inspiration.

 

I figure I'll use it if I run into a food / term that's unfamiliar when looking at menus for restaurants. Sometimes there's a description for us "Aussie English challenged" but not always.

[kuldalai]

In Australia you only need tip anyone in Hospitality Industry IF they give you exceptional service . Aussies do not basically tip, as most people here are on award wages at least which guarantee them an adequate salary . Aussies would typically only tip a couple of dollars to Luggage Porters for lugging around heavy cases, or in top shelf restaurants where the service has been exemplary by rounding up the bill to the nearest ten dollars. In a cafe or coffee shop no one ever tips .

[smalldog]

Make sure you have a hamburger with beetroot on it, mate. A proper Aussie hamburger will always have beetroot on it, although many of our younger generation who grew up under the "golden arches" have not heard of this.

 

Buy the hamburger with beetroot at a fish n chip shop, or milk bar (definitely not Maccas). This means you order it from a counter, then go and loiter outside while they make it, and when they call your number you go and pick it up and eat it in a park or at the beach. They may have some cheap plastic chairs and tables on the footpath, but I don't recommend you eat it there. To find a good hamburger, look for the shop with the crowd of locals loitering waiting for their order.

 

While you're at it (or perhaps the next day, because you'll be stuffed to the gunwales) have fish n chips. Ideally, they will be wrapped in butcher's paper, although sometimes you have to make do with a cardboard box, and you can sit on the beach to eat them. In southern states the fish tends to be battered, but in Queensland it will be coated in breadcrumbs. Perhaps, order a potato scallop to go with it – a slice of potato dipped in batter and deep fried.

 

Chocolate bars to try:

Cherry Ripe - dark chocolate around glace cherries mixed with coconut

Violet Crumble - milk chocolate around honeycomb

 

Enjoy your holiday! (=vacation) (what you call a holiday, we call a public holiday)

[smalldog]

Why is everyone so afraid to mention the Drop Bears? Forewarned is forearmed, I always say.

 

Drop Bears are mutant koalas that drop from the trees overhead and eat human flesh. They are nocturnal like ordinary koalas, so stay out of national parks areas at night, and you'll be safe.

[Aquarians]

Why is everyone so afraid to mention the Drop Bears? Forewarned is forearmed, I always say.

 

Drop Bears are mutant koalas that drop from the trees overhead and eat human flesh. They are nocturnal like ordinary koalas, so stay out of national parks areas at night, and you'll be safe.

or you might be attacked by a Yeti!

Aquarians

[Cruisin_on_th_net]

aint it a yowie??? LOL.

 

hey small dog, and fish n chip shops you'd be willing to recommend on the nth side. Know of a lovely one south west (forest lake shopping village) but nothing north side. *hopeful lookin* :)

[smalldog]

aint it a yowie??? LOL.

 

hey small dog, and fish n chip shops you'd be willing to recommend on the nth side. Know of a lovely one south west (forest lake shopping village) but nothing north side. *hopeful lookin* :)

 

Hi Cruisin

 

Lawnton Country Markets fish n chip shop used to have FANTASTIC food, they used rice bran oil and the stuff was so light and crisp you could almost have argued it was a healthfood... but they've switched to some other oil apparently because of the gluten-free lobby (and probably because rice bran oil is expensive), and now it's just like any other fish n chips :( *quietly grieving*

 

There's a shop in the main street of Dayboro has great fish n chips, pay the extra and get the hand-cut chips, even has a couple of wooden tables with umbrellas on a patch of lawn at the side

 

And Morgan's out at Scarborough is very popular... you queue up alongside cases full of crabs and Moreton Bay bugs n whatnot, then wait your turn for them to announce your number over the loudspeaker

 

Oh and yes, it's a yowie, but we don't get those round here, only Drop Bears ;)

[karmacruiser]

Make sure you have a hamburger with beetroot on it, mate. A proper Aussie hamburger will always have beetroot on it, although many of our younger generation who grew up under the "golden arches" have not heard of this.

 

Buy the hamburger with beetroot at a fish n chip shop, or milk bar (definitely not Maccas). This means you order it from a counter, then go and loiter outside while they make it, and when they call your number you go and pick it up and eat it in a park or at the beach. They may have some cheap plastic chairs and tables on the footpath, but I don't recommend you eat it there. To find a good hamburger, look for the shop with the crowd of locals loitering waiting for their order.

 

While you're at it (or perhaps the next day, because you'll be stuffed to the gunwales) have fish n chips. Ideally, they will be wrapped in butcher's paper, although sometimes you have to make do with a cardboard box, and you can sit on the beach to eat them. In southern states the fish tends to be battered, but in Queensland it will be coated in breadcrumbs. Perhaps, order a potato scallop to go with it – a slice of potato dipped in batter and deep fried.

 

Chocolate bars to try:

Cherry Ripe - dark chocolate around glace cherries mixed with coconut

Violet Crumble - milk chocolate around honeycomb

 

Enjoy your holiday! (=vacation) (what you call a holiday, we call a public holiday)

 

We grow beets in our garden but I never thought about putting it on a hamburger. Is it grilled along with the burger or put on fresh? I'm sure I'm going to put on 10 pounds from all the food suggested on this link. :p

[smalldog]

We grow beets in our garden but I never thought about putting it on a hamburger. Is it grilled along with the burger or put on fresh? I'm sure I'm going to put on 10 pounds from all the food suggested on this link. :p

 

Hi karmacruiser. I'm not sure why we do it either or who started it, but it's canned beetroot that we use. A national treasure! I've eaten fresh beetroot before and I reckon it would be too bitter on a hamburger. The canned kind is sugary/vinegary, and a lovely glossy bright purple colour, which usually ends up dripping down your white t-shirt, mixed with a splash of tomato sauce and perhaps some meat juices... that's part of the experience too! :)

[victravellers]

Hi karmacruiser. I'm not sure why we do it either or who started it, but it's canned beetroot that we use. A national treasure! I've eaten fresh beetroot before and I reckon it would be too bitter on a hamburger. The canned kind is sugary/vinegary, and a lovely glossy bright purple colour, which usually ends up dripping down your white t-shirt, mixed with a splash of tomato sauce and perhaps some meat juices... that's part of the experience too! :)

 

 

I love your description...made me laugh and oh so very true. A hamburger is not a hamburger without the beetroot.

[Cruisin_on_th_net]

ohhh yearh smalldog, and don't forget to "clean your teeth" before the burger, otherwise your teeth will stain from the beetroot........ (I think it's like a pickled beetroot - definitely NOT fresh stuff...) (Actually I don't think you'd find an aussie who didn't just think the that beetroots grew in cans........ - no other way to have them! LOL)

 

 

Yummmmmm thanks for the advice smalldog, have been missing a good fish n chip shop down this way. Happy to have some suggestions :)

 

hey karma, don't worry about the 10 pounds, just blame it on the weather. Either it's too hot and you'r retaining fluids, or its too cold and your wearing extra layers.... :D

[karmacruiser]

[quote

hey karma, don't worry about the 10 pounds, just blame it on the weather. Either it's too hot and you'r retaining fluids, or its too cold and your wearing extra layers.... :D

 

That sounds like a great plan! Thanks for the tip.

[heatherandfred]

I'm loving this post so far! Can't wait to go down under in April!

[4774Papa]

I'll bite. Drive on the left walk up the stairs the same way. Look right before crossing the street, it will save your life.

 

Beer and Wine- Drink anything but Fosters and Yellow Tail and you will do fine.

 

Try to speak English, most locals will respnd in kind. ;-)

 

Really Australia is not that foreign for anyone coming from the English speaking world. Other than accent and slang which the Aussies will use on you accoassionally for fun, all is good. Relax, enjoy.

What's wrong with Yellow Tail? It is a good house wine for every day consumption.