Australia Day office bingo

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Posted at 3:02PM, 26 January 2009 by Andrea McGinniss - Editor, bbcgoodfood.com

If you work in an office no matter where it may be, there's a good chance you're lucky(!) enough to have at least one Aussie colleague. Said colleague is bound by duty to go home to Australia at least once a year, returning with a tan and a bag or five of sweet Aussie treats.

Being a caring sharing lot, it's also highly likely that they will bring in something suitably Antipodean and edible for Australia Day today. So let's have a round of Aussie food bingo. And see how highly your office scores on the Australian-ness scale.

Give yourself one point for eating, or at least seeing, any of the more common Australian delicacies in the office today: Tim Tam biscuits, Vegemite, Cherry Ripes, Fantales, Caramello Koalas or a box of BBQ shapes.

Two points for the more creative contributions: anything containing macadamia nuts, (much as I love my colleagues I admit I scoffed my family-sized block of Dairy Milk crammed with macadamias all on my own), a Jesters pie, a jar of dukkah, a bottle of Bundaberg Rum or any Aussie boutique beer.

See how highly your office scores on the Australian-ness scale.

Three points for anything cooked from scratch. Fellow Aussie Good Fooder Sarah Birks bought in some luscious lamingtons which took me back to my childhood, and I've heard rumours of some Anzac biscuits floating around in the office downstairs. Bonus points also for anyone organised enough to bring in a homecooked pavlova, an Aussie pie, or any other Aussie classics .

So what did I bring in? I had all good intentions to pay a visit to the Aussie shop in Covent Garden yesterday to stock up on staples but it was too rainy to leave the flat. I do have a permanent vat of vegemite on my desk though that adds a point to the tally. Luckily my Aussie colleagues are a little less lazy. As well as aforementioned lamingtons, we have four packets of Tim Tams, a bottle of Bundy rum (for later, obviously ;), one packet of Fantales and an inflatable kangaroo. Our office score: a pretty impressive 12 points. What's yours?

Comments

Becks

26 January 2009, 3:21PM
Becks

I so far haven't seen any evidence of Australian tit-bits (or indeed any Australians) in my office, but I am new so they might be hiding them from me... Can I come and drink your Bundy with you please roomie?!

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Sarah

26 January 2009, 3:32PM
Sarah

Happy Australia Day! Although Vegemite? Give me Marmite any day!

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AdrianB

26 January 2009, 6:04PM
AdrianB

As a Brit who grew up in North Sydney I still harbour a secret desire for the odd Tim-Tam and these days a Bundaberg Rum with Ginger Beer (is that called a "Dark & Stormy" cocktail?)... It's just a shame we don't get to eat Kangaroo meat as often as some of the lucky souls living Down Under. Give me a Roo-Burger anytime.

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vicstar_77

26 January 2009, 8:19PM
vicstar_77

First things first, Marmite doesn't have a pinch on Vegemite. No, don't try to convince an Aussie otherwise. So, I've heard rumours that the pub I am going to for Aussie Day celebrations tonight (in Toronto) has stocked-up on the following goodies to celebrate: - Roo burgers (we eat our national emblem and it's darned tasty) - Tim Tams (chocolatey, biscuity goodness) - Caramello Koalas (small chocolate koalas with fat, caramel-laden bellies) ...and most importantly, Coopers Sparkling stubbies! No, not 'bottles' of beer - Stubbies. When eatin's cheatin' this beer provides all the Vitamin B you need. :) Happy Australia Day!

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Chris Brack

27 January 2009, 12:46PM
Chris Brack

ok ok ok everyone get a grip here. Every time I read discussions about Aussi food all I hear about is some brown gunk in a jar and a glorified penguin bar that you can suck hot drinks through....woooooooo. In fairness this is doing such a diservice to the quality of food and drink you get down there. Firstly aussies should be out there teaching the world (maybe not the Italians) how to make a decent coffee, because lets face the standard is so high there. Then there is the quality of the asian cafes and restaurants in the major cities. They are so cheap but the quality is second to none. What I feel australia does so well is to absorb the food culture from another country, modernise it and improve on it. By the way I am not from Australia.

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miniminx

18 February 2009, 5:59PM
miniminx

for the last time, can i humbly request that the classic kiwi pav be labelled an aussie dessert!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh.

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miniminx

18 February 2009, 6:00PM
miniminx

um, that probably should've read NOT an aussie dessert...they've brainwashed me :(

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Jools food

23 March 2009, 3:25PM
Jools food

White Xmas anyone??? I know it's also a HUGE thing in NZ too. A scrummy mix of: 3 cups rice bubbles 1 cup mixed fruit 1 cup dessicated coconut 1 cup dry powdered milk 3/4 cup of sifted icing sugar 225 grams copha vanilla essence Melt copha and mix to rest of ingredients, pack down hard and leave to set in fridge. A little slice of antipodean heaven!!

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denys

21 April 2009, 5:50PM
denys

Jools- whats copha??

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Ester

29 April 2009, 6:44PM
Ester

As a kid I lived in Australia and reading about all your food-memories I'd like to add mine. Milo, spooning it from the can. Musk sticks, those pink soapy things from the milkbar. Violet crumbles and coffee flavoured Big M milk. Does anybody know a subsitute for copha, I've got a whole Copha cookbook with recipes for things like rockyroad and coconut ice.

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