The Food of Australia ~ (Periplus Editions)

This little cookbook is such a joy. Published in the mid 90's it captures the best of Australia's many talented chefs at the start of the peak of Australia's food journey. The book is part of a series of regional cookbooks, though unlike other cookbooks in the series, this book has recipes provided by the best chefs from the leading restaurants around the country, rather than a traditional picture of Australian cuisine. The book commences with a number of essays which build up the story of how contemporary Australian cuisine emerged. These are fascinating insights from leading food writers, such as Tess Mallos writing on 'Mediterranean Influences' or Charmaine Solomon on 'Australia's Asian Connection', and together the essays create a picture of a diverse culinary tradition, which had only started to blend into an Australian cuisine in the decade preceding publication of the book.
The recipes which follow are fresh and innovative, creative and challenging, and yet very Australian. The first recipe in the book, Bethany Finn's Pumpkin risotto cakes with smoked kangaroo sets the scene for contemporary Australian, followed soon afterwards by Damien Pignolet's Terrine of rabbit with prunes which draws on a more traditional cuisine. The freshness and lightness and the variety of Australian cuisine are evident amongst the appetisers, ranging from Beh Kim Un's Oysters with lime and lemon grass dressing to Tesuya Wakuda's Scallops with black-bean vinaigrette to Cheong Liew's Four dances of the sea. Salads follow the appetisers with the Christine Manfield's Tea-smoked tuna with sweet-sour fennel salad the pick of these. Amongst the pasta recipes I have more difficulty picking a favourite, though depending on the day it would either be Tetsuya's Ravioli of lobster with tomato and basil or Stephanie Alexander's Crab salad on buckwheat noodles - both equally delicious but very different dishes.

The book has rich, gorgeous, adventurous and exciting recipes throughout, from Werner Kimmeringer's Salmon burger on vegetable spaghetti, Stephanie Alexander's Roast yabbies with apple and cider sauce, Bethany Finn's Lamb with chick pea curry, harissa and naan and Maggie Beer's absolutely gorgeous Roast pheasant. The desserts are divine, from the deliciously rich Illawarra plum cheesecake with rhubarb sauce from Guido van Baelen, to Dietmar Sawyere's Baklava of dried fruits with mint syrup and Marieke Brugman's Pavlova with seasonal fruits. My favourite of the desserts though, and the most deliciously Australian of them, is the gorgeous Lemon myrtle bavarois with rosella flower jelly provided by Andrew Fielke - just divine!

Recommended for every Australian foodie out there, you won't be disappointed.

- Kath