Care for some biscuits, bickies, or maybe some bikkies? If you answered yes, don't worry, you'll be given a delicious cookie since Australians refer to cookies as biscuits, bickies, and bikkies.

What about a cracker biscuit with some Vegemite on it? Although its name may hint at it, Vegemite spread has nothing to do with vegetables, but it is an important part of the Australian diet. Invented in 1922, Vegemite is a native Australian wonder, a smooth and sticky paste made from yeast extracts and extremely popular among Australians. It is a great source of B vitamins and is spread on bread, toast, and crumpets.

Australians try to make use of indigenous crops and fruits, including wheat, rice, oranges, bananas and grapes. Meat is also an influential part of Australian cuisine. Once, kangaroo meat played a large part in Australian cooking, but the use of kangaroo meat has decreased and has been replaced by lamb, poultry, beef, and seafood.

Scotch Eggs - an appetizer of hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat then covered in breadcrumbs before it is deep-fried
Ingredients

  • 4 hardboiled eggs
  • 17.6 oz sausage meat
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs

Directions
1. Set oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cover hardboiled eggs with sausage meat.
3. Coat the layer of eggs with flour, egg and breadcrumbs; press crumbs on firmly.
4. Place on baking dish and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
5. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

PAVLOVA - a meringue dessert that is extremely fluffy, layered with fruit and whipped cream
Ingredients

  • 4 egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup whipping cream (whipped)
  • 2 cups mixed fresh fruit (strawberries, kiwifruit, passion fruit pulp, etc)

Directions
1. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. With a marker, draw a 9-inch circle on the foil.
3. In a large glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt at high speed until soft peaks form.
4. Gradually beat in sugar, 2 tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
5. Spoon onto prepared cookie sheet within your marked circle, mounding higher around the edge and leaving a crater in the center.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours until crisp on outside and firm to the touch.
7. Turn off heat and allow to cool with door propped open. Pavlova can be stored in cool, airtight container for several days.
To Serve: spread whipped cream in centre of shell and top with fresh fruit. Chill until serving time.

Pikelets - a small, unsweetened, and thick pancake that is best served at teatime.
Ingredients:

  • One cup of self raising flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 3-5 tbsp milk

Procedure:
1. Sift flour, salt, and sugar.
2. Make hollow in the middle of the flour mixture and break in egg.
3. Mix slightly, then gradually add milk until batter reaches a consistency where it falls in heavy drops.
4. Fry dessert sized spoonfuls of batter in a moderate size pan.
5. Fry until golden brown on both sides, drain on paper towel.

HINT:
Great with jam and whipped cream, or for something different try honey and whipped cream!

The Aboriginal people are the natives of the Australian continent. Their culture is among the very oldest on earth, stretching back perhaps 40,000 years. Their traditions are defined by a deep reverence for the natural world around them. Rocks, trees, rivers, canyons-they are all sacred and connected in Aboriginal thought. Through these beliefs, the Aboriginal people learned long ago to live in harmony with their natural surroundings, moving with the seasons to find food and shelter.

The arrival of European settlers in the 1800s had a devastating impact on the Aboriginal people. The settlers brought with them diseases, guns, and a desire for land and resources that overwhelmed the native population. Eventually, British rulers forced the Aboriginal people to abandon their culture and beliefs. At the start of European settlement, nearly 300 native languages were spoken in Australia; today, all but about 20 have largely vanished. But with the passage of time, modern Australians have gained a new respect and understanding for Aboriginal culture, traditions, art, and music. Today's Australia has learned to celebrate the rich and unique nature of its native people.

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