The first European settlers in Australia used a dizzying array of flora and fauna in their kitchens – but they cooked them in a traditional British style.
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Articles on Tastes of a Nation
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From images of knives to cupcakes, foodies are increasingly etching their identity on their skin. And for chefs, tattoos are markers of non-conformity, self promotion and resilience, as a new book testifies.
Food labels aren’t just nutritional information anymore: they’re moral statements about everything from fair trade to palm oil. But let’s not confuse shopping with effective political action.
Chia, acai, quinoa, guradji - our supermarket shelves are awash with superfoods. They may well be healthy but in attributing magical qualities to these products are we glossing over an often-exploitative global food system?
Locavore, freegan, kangatarian, flexitarian … what we eat has become a moral minefield. Religions have long enforced food-related prohibitions, but in a secular context we could do with a little less moralising at the kitchen table.
Two very popular – and seemingly contradictory – food trends are gripping Australia at the same time. Ultra healthy and extravagantly indulgent eateries are actually fulfilling the same elite-driven desire for food that’s creative, hand-made and rare.
We’re a nation of meat eaters but city dwellers may have trouble discussing the origin of a steak with their offspring. And though there are programs teaching children how vegetables grow, there aren’t too many that involve raising an animal for food.
Australians will happily eat boat noodle soup with beef blood stirred through it or stinking tofu – but not quandongs or akudjura. Yet overcoming ‘food racism’ and eating native produce could be a powerful act of culinary reconciliation.
When did food become such a big deal to academics, politicians and pop culture alike? From paleo evangelicals to taxes on sugar, everyone’s got an opinion about what’s on your fork.
Top contributors
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Professor of History and Philosophy, and Deputy Dean Research (Faculty of Arts), University of Adelaide
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Author, The Oldest Foods on Earth, University of Technology Sydney
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Professor of Psychology, University of Adelaide
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Curator, Australian National University
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Visiting Research Fellow, University of Adelaide
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Lecturer in History, University of Sydney
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Professor of Public History, University of Technology Sydney
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Senior Lecturer in Science Communication, The University of Western Australia
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Visiting Fellow, Queensland University of Technology
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Visiting research fellow, University of Adelaide
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Senior Research Fellow, Alfred Deakin Institute, Deakin University
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Honorary Post-Doctoral Research Associate, University of Wollongong
