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Australia's Culinary Capital Turning to Native Bushfood to Diversify Menus

Some of the ideas coming out of Melbourne are becoming trends, which could set the culinary world on fire.

By Andrea DawsonPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Melbourne is known as Australia's culinary capital to most natives and foodies around the world. Part of what makes Melbourne special is the fact that many restaurateurs take interesting chances with their food. It should be noted that 40 percent of the people in this city were born overseas, which could explain the diversity here.

Some of the ideas coming out of Melbourne are becoming trends, which could set the culinary world on fire.

The Bushfood Rise

One reason Australia's culinary capital is not scared to try new foods could be because it was named one of the top 18 foodie cities around the world. This means culinary artists feel like their creativity will be rewarded in a city where people appreciate their talent.

Many chefs in Australia started to notice that a lot of the food prepared there was not authentic to the region. People who travel to Australia from other areas want to try something they cannot find anywhere else, which has prompted some risk-taking chefs to delve into native foods.

Effects of Bushfoods on Menus

Australia is not known for their native foods or bushfoods, but that is starting to change. Chefs are interested in highlighting what makes Australia special, and people are curious enough to try these meals.

One meal that is becoming popular combines kangaroo tail with a warrigal green pesto. Kangaroo meat was not readily available in Australia until this push, and warrigal greens were unheard of, though they pack as much nutrients as spinach or other leafy greens.

Of course, most chefs add their own touch to this particular meal, but it is definitely native to Australia. This has put some pressure on food manufacturers in Melbourne to supply more native foods, but many are rising to the challenge.

Australians want to support local growers and want Australia to have its own food identity. Furthermore, many foodies here want their food to be as healthy as possible. That goal can be achieved with local produce, so this trend was inevitable.

Exquisite Blend of Cultures

Yes, Australian chefs are loving the idea of using native produce in their meals, but some of these chefs come from different places around the world. This diversity is bound to show up in some of the dishes served around Melbourne.

For example, the bush tomato scone is a delectable dessert that is making a name for itself in the city. The scone comes from Scotland and is quite popular in the UK, but it is being served with an Australian twist in Melbourne with the bush tomato.

The bush tomato is a native berry that has similar characteristics to other berries, except that it has a caramel-like taste when dried. Of course, its sweetness comes with a bit of tanginess, making the scone quite deletable among foodies.

Perhaps one of the most eclectic dishes that is quite popular in Melbourne is the Japanese-Mexican-Australian taco dish. The meat comes from crab that is caught locally. It is stuffed in a nori taco shell instead of the regular corn tortilla.

The taco comes with several interesting ingredients, such as curried mayo along with the classics like guacamole and pickled jalapeños.

Another interesting blend of cultures worth noting is the mixture between American and Australian foods. The burger is one of the most popular American foods out there, aside from the country's bacon and pancake breakfast meal. Australian chefs are using the burger concept but are using ingredients that can only be sourced locally, such as kangaroo meat.

Kangaroo meat is not only lean but quite nutritious, which is part of the reason many chefs are pushing this concept. The other part is simply because the kangaroo population is becoming unsustainable, and eco-conscious chefs want to do their part for a country they love.

This incredible blend of cultures is not uncommon in Melbourne and it is part of what makes it such a culinary roller coaster for foodies. There is no way to predict what other food concepts are going to be coming out of Melbourne, but this is a trend-setting city. Many are impatiently waiting to see what happens; well, many are impatiently waiting to taste the culinary delights.

cuisine
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About the Creator

Andrea Dawson

A fitness blogger and a personal trainer.

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