Food of Australia (H). Wendy Hutton

      That old British stalwart, roast lamb, is more likely to be enhanced with garlic and rosemary these days, thanks to the influence of Mediterranean cuisines.

      Natural or "health food” stores catering principally to vegetarians were another factor in popularizing Mediterranean foods. Bulgur, the steamed crushed wheat of the Eastern Mediterranean, first became available to the general public through such outlets, as did yogurt, tahini, beans and, more recently, the couscous of Morocco.

      In the early years of their culinary awakening, the first taste many Australians had of Mediterranean foods was during their "continental tours," when they had no option but to try salamis, pizzas, olives, strong cheeses, pasta or moussaka. Back home, with taste buds primed, they were more willing to accept the new foods gradually appearing in the market place. Food columnists were also responsible in the process of education, and when Australian-produced cookbooks began specializing in the cuisines of various countries because the basic foods were finally readily available and had gained acceptance, Australians could experiment with alacrity.

      Finally, restaurants have always played a part. Australia was not a total culinary wilderness in the early days. There were Italian restaurants in Melbourne from the early 1920s, and in other areas there were many other restaurants featuring cuisines described as "Continental" and "French." These days, Italian restaurants abound, together with Greek and Lebanese/Syrian restaurants, while Spanish restaurants are increasing in popularity. Many restaurateurs, recognizing the suitability of Mediterranean food to Australia's climate and lifestyle, take the best of these foods which Australia now produces, combining them with skill and imagination and presenting their bill of fare as "Mediterranean-style.“

      The embarrassments of my youth—admitting to using olive oil on salads and vegetables, and eating "soured" milk (yogurt)—are unknown to my children and grandchildren; they can and do enjoy openly whatever they like in our culinarily enlightened society.

      Australia's Asian Connection

      Asian immigration has had a dramatic culinary impact

      by Charmaine Solomon

      From a culinary point of view, Australia is not the same country we migrated to 36 years ago, when we left the tropical island of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) for Sydney—big, beautiful, bewildering. Forward scouts had warned us that Australia was a land where one could buy nothing in the way of "civilized" foods and that we should take our own supplies of spices.

      Heeding the advice, I came armed with cans of curry powder my mother had blended for me. On the can was written, in her clear script, a basic recipe. With this as my lifeline, I was launched on the unknown waters of cooking real food for the first time. ("Real food" meaning meals to survive on, as distinct from the cakes and confectionery I had taken pleasure in creating.) There had been no need for me to prepare meals in Sri Lanka because every household had a resident cook. While there was a "sink or swim" feeling of being thrown in at the deep end, there was also a sense of real adventure.

      This was the time of the White Australia policy. In order to obtain permission to settle in Australia, I had to provide proof of the requisite 75 percent of European blood. (Thankfully, my ancestors had arrived in Ceylon from Holland in the year 1714 and detailed genealogies of many Dutch families had been kept by the Dutch Burgher Union.) The cultural cringe was alive and well in Australia, but it was the newcomers who suffered from it. I learned to make spaghetti Bolognese and roasts almost before I learned to make a good curry.

      When it came to grocery shopping, apart from the corner store with its basic supplies, there existed only the "Ham and Beef" shop, forerunner of today's delicatessen, but at that time the name was totally descriptive. There were also health food stores where one could purchase rice, split peas, curry powder and turmeric.

      But what a difference the last three decades have made in the eating habits of Australians of Anglo-Celtic background, to whom the "baked dinner" was almost a religion, with services being held at least once a week; to whom a curry was what you did with the leftover roast and Chinese food the invention known as chop suey.

      Now Australians delight in the opportunity of traveling through their taste buds, and often the journey takes them to Asia. Yum cha (dim sum) on weekends is becoming increasingly popular. If a Thai restaurant is known to be good, you had better book reservations. Indian restaurants are gaining popularity, especially those that offer regional or vegetarian food. Eat-in or take-away places specialize in noodles from Malaysia, pho from Vietnam, laksa from Singapore, satay and other quick meals that are incredibly tasty.

      It's hard to believe that a generation ago, the average Aussie considered it the height of chic to visit the local Chinese restaurant. The sign outside assured the clientele that "Chinese and Australian" meals were served, and the menu was carefully vetted so that nothing too challenging confronted customers.

      I think the change may have started with tourism to Asia With their country placed in the Pacific, nearer to Asia than to Europe or America, vacations in Asia are more affordable to average Australians. Once travelers were exposed to the excellent, bargain-priced food, there was no going back. They came home to Australia keen to repeat their gastronomic experiences, even if it meant learning to cook the food themselves. They'd seen it tossed together in minutes at street stalls and felt it couldn't be too difficult—and it isn't.

      In the 1960s, the emphasis was on Continental cuisines with their richness and long-cooking methods. It has now shifted to Asian cuisines with fresh flavors and the fast, healthy cooking styles of steaming and stir-frying. I am fortunate to have lived in Australia during decades of incredible change and had the opportunity to share my love of Asian cooking through books and teaching. When referred to as the "mother of Asian cooking in Australia," I protest that I was only a midwife, merely easing its entry into this new area and sharing with others what I had to learn myself, how to cook Asian food in a Western country. I had a hard time convincing people that all Asian food did not have to be loaded with chilies. I learned not to wince when some earnest cook assured me that she made a "curry" with diced apples, bananas, sultanas and curry powder.