Australia: Part I

As I mentioned, the husband and I were lucky enough to spend our vacation in Australia. We visited Sydney and Melbourne, and both cities were wonderful. The scenery was gorgeous, and the people were very kind. But since we're hungry folks, the husband and I were curious what the land down under would have to offer in the food department. We were not disappointed. I hope you enjoy my little foodie tour...

Australia Part I: "Different" Food

Vegemite
A post on Australian food wouldn't be complete without a mention of Vegemite. The husband and I were enjoying breakfast one morning, and we had the option of jam, peanut butter, or Vegemite for our toast. Obviously I grabbed PB&J. (I've told you how I feel about peanut butter and jelly.) Being the brave one in our family, the husband reached for a packet of Vegemite and spread a thin layer on his bread. Tasting it, he proclaimed, "Not bad!" My fears assuaged, I gave it a nibble, too. I would describe the flavor as soy sauce condensed into a paste. Let's just say it's not my favorite.

Weetabix
At that same breakfast, a cereal choice was Weetabix. I asked the hotel proprietor for a description, and he said it was kind of like Shredded Wheat. Then he offered to prepare me a bowl the way he would for himself. I couldn't turn that down. He placed two "bricks" of Weetabix in a bowl, poured milk over the top, and heated it up for a minute. Then he suggested I sprinkle a bit of sugar on top. It was pretty darn good! Sort of oatmeal-ish. (Is that a word?)

Potato Chips
Different countries have the most interesting potato chip flavors. The husband and I both enjoyed Honey Soy Chicken chips very much.

Capsicum??
I kept reading about "capsicum" on restaurant menus. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what it was. So I asked. "What's capsicum?" The waiter looked at me like I was a crazy person. "It's CAPSICUM." After about a week, I figured it out: Capsicum = Red Pepper. Now when you go to Australia you won't look as dumb as me.

McDonald's
Even McDonald's served up different grub in Australia. For example, the El Maco burger is garnished with taco sauce and sour cream. Although I managed to pass on the El Maco, the husband and I had to try a Double Choc Fudge McFlurry. Good gosh was that delicious. But the real question is, what's a "Bubblegum Squash McFlurry"? I guess we'll never know...

Stay tuned for Australian Food Tour Part II on Friday.