Australian cuisine is one of the most exotic and diverse in the world: from meat cakes and vegetarian sandwiches to kangaroo fillet with fried onion. The cuisine reached its prosperity not so long ago – in the 1990’s. This was the period when lots of new restaurants with their “modern Australian menus” were opened in every huge Australian city. There were two reasons why Australian dishes became a great success: first, they were varied and unusual and second, they were cheap.

Emigrants from all over the world brought their culinary passions to Australia, this cuisine united east and west, with a taste of its own ancient traditions. The success was huge. Andre Cointreau, head of the Parisian “Le Cordon Bleu” – one of the most prestigious culinary schools, said that 30 years ago France was the centre for world gastronomy, but now the leader is Australia.

Australia is renowned for its exotic fruits, seafood, veal, lamb and cheese. One should also mention “bush tucker” – Aborigine’s food. Such dishes are prepared on coals – for instance “dumper” bun is a baked mixture of water and flour.

Many Western magazines praise Australian food, and it is food that is considered to be one of the reasons why you should visit the “fifth continent”. Nowadays the culinary situation in Australia is often called “the culinary revolution”. The county is rich in plants and products you are not likely to find in Europe or Asia, that is why there are many explanations why it could get the first place in culinary.

At the same time, just like Italy or France, Australia can be divided into several regions, each known for its own delicacies: cream at the Queens Island, Sydney’s oysters, Tasmanian salmon… Each “state” has its best-known food. But all in all, Australian food can be divided into several categories: modern Australian food, Asian food, traditional Australian dishes and “bush tucker”.

Traditional Australian and Asian cuisine have much in common. Spicy and sour “tom yam” soup, Chinese fried rice with diced chicken and salty fish… - this is just the beginning of the huge menu offered in Australia. Some dishes are thought to be typically Australian. Those are vegemite – yeast extract with onion and salt, lamingtons – biscuits with chocolate fondant and coconut, and Arnott's Biscuits.

Many restaurants also offer bush tucker – the real aboriginal food, which is prepared of local products only: Australian fruits and meat baked in a special way. Modern Australian food is a mixture of many traditions. For instance, Asian spices like coriander and cardamom can be used with traditional local dishes. At the same time, Australian products are often used when preparing Asian food. We recommend you pickled beef fillet with spinach and beetroot, and fried pears with saffron palenta.

And, finally, Australian delicacies. According to Australian chefs, the secret of an excellent recipe is in its unusual Australian seafood. One of such products is a balmain bug that looks like a lobster. Very special delicacies, like shark’s lips, can be found on local markets.

Another dainty is sold in Adelaide: a kangaroo in a quandong sauce. Kangaroo meat was allowed for sale not so long ago, but it became very popular thanks to the lack of fat in it. Plus to this, new vegetarian products are popular in Australian restaurants nowadays. Those are riberries, bunya nuts, cockatoo plum and many others.

Australian cuisine is still rapidly developing and it will be of no surprise if pretty soon we will be able to try not only the above-mentioned dishes, but also some new ones.