One of the things I emphasize when I do presentations about Australia is what an awesome dining destination it is. You’ve got all the great seafood everywhere (not just fresh, but awesome in variety), wonderful beef and lamb, tropical fruits in the north, great wineries and cheese makers in the south, Macadamia nuts in Queensland, and a combination of world-class chefs and the input from the many cultures that have settled in Oz. Just an amazing place to eat.
One of the more recent and more newsworthy developments in the culinary realm is that Australia has actually been successful in growing truffles. This is something many countries have tried without success. Tasmania had the first success, and their French Perigord black truffles have people comparing them favorably to winter truffles from France. Today, truffles are actually growing in many of Australia’s states, and their fame is growing. In fact, Aussie truffles are sufficiently awesome that Thomas Keller of California’s legendary French Laundry is now sourcing truffles from Australia.
Truffles are seasonal, but the seasons are reverses in Australia, so just as truffles vanish from European sources, they are becoming available in Aussie sources. Best of all possible situations for truffle lovers the world over. And big enough news to make it into the papers: World’s Best Sniff Out Aussie Truffles.
So one more reason to love dining in Australia.
Fortunately, one can still get a nice meat pie from time to time. But the high end keeps on getting higher in the land Down Under. (And did I mention they’re raising Wagyu beef?)
Waltzing Australia 