sherrid

I love any liquorice type candy - I also like the dutch salty kind. Not sure if you get them, but black cats liquorice is great - nice and chewy. I'm like jelly bellys and gummi bears too. Anything cinnamon (gum, mints etc) is always a friend of mine!

In Australia, we eat similar to USA or UK for breakfast - however, we have this wonderful salty yeast extract spread that is very common to have on buttered toast. It's very salty, so it's usually spread thinly.

I love tea. I'm actually preferring it to coffee! :eek: I love all styles of Earl Grey and Russian Caravan tea is great too (nice smokey, intense flavours). I prefer loose-leaf and have a wonderful 2 cup tea pot from "Zero Japan". I use a variety of brands - but here in Australia I often use Somage tea as well as the common Twinnings. I do also enjoy Chai tea. I'm using a local loose-leaf one a the moment with hints of cinnamon, cardamon & ginger. Lovely and warming. I also am partial to Chai Lattes made with either soy or low fat organic milk with a dash of honey. Cinnamon sugar on top too! MM Celestial Seasonings is my fav herb tea brand (tea bags) with Sleepy-time my No 1 pre-bed drink. I also like most of their other flavours. Peppermint tea and green tea are both refreshing!

I love banana rice pudding - add nutmeg and cinnamon too. You can either add the banana while cooking so it cooks and infuses or just add chopped at the end. Also add in some chopped walnuts & honey/maple syrup - great for breakfast. The possibilities for breakfast rice pudding/porridge is endless: Apple & cinnamon Pear & ginger Berries & chocolate (either chocolate chips or cocoa/protein powder) Almonds & citrus Raisins & nuts Dates & almonds Prunes & pecans Apricots & pistachios Chai tea infused rice pudding with honey (infuse some tea and add to the cooking) Add a dollop of fresh ricotta, yogurt or cottage cheese on top too You can even make an "eggy" rice pudding made with egg custard so it sets and cooked in the oven. Makes a nice change!

No picture but delicious! Thickly sliced brioche-style raisin toast topped with sunflower butter, fresh ricotta, sliced banana, fresh strawberries & blueberries & honey! *drool*

You are looking at the different type of fats that are prevalent in the US corn-fed beef (Omega 6) vs French grass-fed Beef (Omega 3). According to the latest findings on these two fats, the later is the one that is lacking in most US/english diets where corn-fed factory farming is abundant......this not only helps us understand the way fats play an important role in our diet, butr also that too much Omega 6 can lead to obesity and many disease. Also, grass-fed beef is lower in calories, lower in saturated fat, more beta-carotene, more tender, and darker in colour....maybe the French Paradox is not a paradox at all!!!! I live in Australia and there has been a big increase in the demand for grass-fed, free-range, organic meat. I only buy it. I like to shop at local farmer's markets (similar to France) for seasonal produce. Health aside, I do believe that the way factory farmed beef is produced for the mass (junk food) market to be utterly futile.....I commend and applaud markets/farmers/etc that are going against the dominant and doing something better for the environment and the animals they rear. I am off to Paris for Xmas and New Year and I am looking forward to enjoying a few good boeuf dish or two!

I second the farmer's market....they are on every Saturday morning (a different location every week) and they focus on fresh, most organic produce and is marketed by the farmers/producers so you effectively cut out the middle-man and are buying direct. They are always very friend and the prices are pretty good too. A great way to by seasonal food which is better for the environment. Apart from the fruit and veg, there are many great food products like game, organic meat, free-range eggs, organic wine, fresh bread, etc. Definetly worth going just for the vibe alone!

I'm in Australia and we haven't really seen any major effects yet, although we have had a lot of interest rates and inflation which is affecting a lot of people so there are less diners around. I think making "peasant" food gourmet is the key. I know it's had a bit of a resurgence lately and I think it's wise for many restaurants to use this as a way to save $ and make profit.

Well as I live in Australia, I will give you a few Aussie desserts that we would call "ours": Lamingtons - Basically a cube-shaped sponge cake dipped in chocolate icing then rolled in desiccated coconut. They are also often cut in half where stawberry jam and whipped cream is added, but I prefer them plain. Here is a pic: Pavlova - This was named after the Russian dancer, Anna Pavlova while she toured Australia and New Zealand. It's a meringue with cream and fruit on top. We also have the ANZAC biscuit (or cookie) which stands for the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps which were invented when wives/girlfriends of overseas soldiers sent them over due to worrying about their nutrition during war. We have just had ANZAC day which is a commemortaive day, honouring the solders that were killed in WW1 at Gallipoli. The biscuit is made with golden syrup, oats, and flour and are delicious:

Hahaha, glad to see other small spooners for desserts!!! I do the same and often will serve it also in a small bowl to even out the experience!!! I also love knawing on bones. In fact, the other day we had chicken drumsticks and my partner after finishing his meal, gets up from the table, picks up his finished plate, then goes for mine to take away, sees my very clean bone and exclaimed: Look at that clean bone!!! You've even cartlidge!! lol. And yes.....I admit it....I'm a plate licker too!! My partner has a thing for wanting food with tv or movies. For example, he will make a sandwich but won't pick it up or start eating it until the very first introduction of the program starts!!! Talk about bringing the senses together!

In Australia you can get deep fried pineapple at most fish and chip places. In addition to pineapple fritters, deep fried bananas come part of a "Hawaian Pack" from our fast food chicken places. Apple fritters are also a good idea and you could do a combo of all three and display them like fish in chips complete and wrapped in newspaper!

I'm new to eGullet but I have been reading and enjoying your blog immensely!!! It's fantastic to experience a new and exciting city and the food culture that belongs to it. My boyfriend's dad was in Prague last year and thoroughly enjoyed it and his pictures of the city looked magnificent. Great job!

There has been a lot of talk here in Australia about banning the plastic bag. Unfortunately we don't even get the option of paper bags here. However, in the last few years we have had "green" bags available and I use them most of the time. They can fit a lot in and because I live in the city, they generally can fit my smaller load of shopping for a good few days. However, after much discussion, they have decided not to ban them, but charge 10-15 cents per plastic bag to consumers in the hope that it will force consumers to bring their own bags...I'm not too sure and would much rather had seen a complete ban...small steps though I guess. http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2220247.htm

Hello Fellow Aussie! Funny you should post this. After leaving my full time office job back in February and buying a cafe with a unfortunate delayed settlement (which takes place this Wednesday!!! Finally!), I found myself having to be very strict with our food budget. I never used to worry too much about how much our grocery bill used to be, but since we have had to watch our money, I ended up getting it down to about $60 per week for the two of us. How did I do it and what did I sacrifice? My sacrifice was meat. Compared to fruit and veg from the markets, meat is very expensive and does not go as far. So we have been relying on a lot of veg and cheap carbs with a tiny bit of protein in order to get by. This means heaps of vegetables, a good serving of rice/pasta/grains/beans and a little dairy/meat/nuts/eggs/ Stir frys, soups, chilies/stews, risottos, salads, etc. I also found that I stopped buying condiments altogether apart from the basics such as sea salt (the cheapest available), EVOO (again the cheapest), tomato paste (homebrand), and butter (whatever was on special). Also, I found the cheaper cuts with half of the amount I used to eat ensured we have a little in each dish. 1 rasher of bacon chopped up in a salad actually goes a long way. Simple foods are actually quite tasty and good produce from markets really stand up on their own! We also made a lot of baked goods from plain flour such as muffins, pancakes, pizzas, bread, cakes, etc. This helped when I felt like a treat and was very economical. Remember, that making things from scratch is always cheaper. While it has been really hard being so consertative with the budget, I did find enjoyment out of finding the specials and getting the best deal....I even bartered with the market guy for my produce and got a discount. Maybe you could try this too!! I wish you good luck and hope your financial situation gets better very soon. Happy cooking!!

I live in Melbourne, Australia and we have such a "super-premium burger". Everyone who has tasted it all agree, it's absolutely delicious and thoroughly a taste experience. It's made with Blackmore Wagu Beef and just melts in the mouth and has the most wonderful flavour. In fact, it's so good, you don't even need fries. It has the right combination of texture too, slight crunch to the bun while maintaining a soft inside, juicy medium rare burger patty, crispy bacon, fresh salad, velvety cheese...oh my! This burger from Neil Perry's Rockpool Bar and Grill looks like this: http://www.rockpoolbarandgrill.com.au/rpm_menu.aspx?menu=bar If you are ever in Melbourne or if you live in Melbourne and are yet to try this masterpiece, you better run!!! Here is a little about the beef: http://www.blackmorewagyu.com.au/wagyu/?id...Chewing-The-Fat