■ Vegemite – A spread for sandwiches, toast, crumpets and cracker biscuits, and filling for pastries. It is salty, slightly bitter, and umami or malty — similar to beef bouillon.
■ Dim sim – "Dimmy" is a Chinese-inspired meat dumpling-style snack food popular in Australia. The dish normally consists of a large ball of pork or other meat, cabbage and flavourings, encased in a wrapper similar to that of a more traditional dumpling. They are usually deep-fried or steamed, but can be barbecued. Dim sims differ from typical Chinese dumplings in that they are often much larger, have a thicker skin and are shaped more robustly. They are primarily sold in Fish and chip shops and Chinese or Asian takeaway outlets in Australia.
■ Violet Crumble – An Australian chocolate bar manufactured in Campbellfield near Melbourne, Australia, by Nestlé. It is one of the best selling chocolate bars in Australia. The bar is a crumbly honeycomb-like substance coated in compound chocolate. It is similar to the Crunchie made by Cadbury.
■ Jaffas – A small round sweet consisting of a soft chocolate centre with a hard covering of orange flavoured, red coloured confectionery. The name derives from the Jaffa orange. The sweet is part of New Zealand and Australian cultural folklore. Jaffas have often been sold in movie theatres and have gained iconic status because of the noise made when they are dropped (accidentally or deliberately) and rolled down sloping wooden floors.
■ Chiko roll – An Australian savoury snack, inspired by the Chinese egg roll and spring rolls. It was designed to be easily eaten on the move without a plate or cutlery. The Chiko roll consists of boned mutton, celery, cabbage, barley, rice, carrot and spices in a tube of egg, flour and dough which is then deep-fried. The wrap was designed to be unusually thick so it would survive handling at football matches. It was originally called a "Chicken roll" despite not containing any chicken then later renamed "Chiko Roll". At the peak of their popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, tens of millions of Chiko Rolls were sold annually in Australia, and the product has been described as an Australian cultural icon.
■ Cherry ripe – "The ripe juicy cherries and moist coconut smothered in rich Old Gold® dark chocolate ensures a unique taste experience. As Australia's oldest chocolate bar, Cherry Ripe offers consumers an indulgent and rich treat made by Cadbury."
■ Tim Tams – A Tim Tam is composed of two layers of chocolate malted biscuit, separated by a light chocolate cream filling, and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate. Is sold in American Target stores.
■ Musk sticks – A popular confection in Australia and New Zealand, available from many different suppliers. Having withstood the test of time, musk sticks consist of a pink semi-soft stick, usually extruded with a ridged cross-section. Their flavour and aroma is quite floral, reminiscent of musk perfume. They are also called 'musk sweets' and 'musk lollies'. Also available is a fruit-flavored variant called "Fruit sticks", which look like coloured musk sticks.
■ Fairy bread – sliced white bread cut into triangles, spread with margarine or butter, and covered with sprinkles or nonpareils which stick to the spread. Fairy bread is commonly served at children's parties in Australia and New Zealand.
■ Lamingtons – A sponge cake in the shape of a cuboid, coated in a layer of traditionally chocolate icing then desiccated coconut. They are sometimes served as two halves with a layer of cream and/or strawberry jam between, and are commonly found in Australasian outlets such as cafes, lunch bars, bakeries, and supermarkets. The raspberry variety is more common in New Zealand, while a lemon variety has been encountered in Australia. The chocolate coating is a thin mixture, into which cubes of sponge cake (one cookbook states 4 cm per side) are dipped, and the chocolate is absorbed into the outermost layers of the sponge where it sets. (Similarly, the strawberry jam or chocolate icing is absorbed into the sponge.) The cubes are then covered with coconut and left to set.
■ Pavlova – A meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Ánna Pávlova. Colloquially referred to as "pav", it is a cake similar to meringue with a crispy crust and soft, light inner. The dessert is believed to have been created to honour the dancer during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. Where it was created and the nationality of its creator has been a source of argument between the two nations for many years, but research indicates New Zealand as the source. The dessert is a popular dish and an important part of the national cuisine of both countries, and is frequently served during celebratory or holiday meals such as Christmas lunch.
■ Vanilla slice – In Australia, mille-feuille is known as ‘vanilla slice’ or ‘cream slice’ and usually has only a top and bottom pastry layer. The filling is often flavored with chocolate. Other popular icings include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, and passionfruit. In New Zealand, it is usually called a ‘custard square.’
■ Boston bun – A large spiced bun with a thick layer of coconut icing, popular in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, the bun is more common in the state of Victoria than New South Wales. Traditionally, the bun also contained sieved potato. It is often served sliced, to accompany a cup of tea.
■ ANZAC biscuits – a sweet biscuit popular in Australia and New Zealand, made using rolled oats, flour, coconut, sugar, butter, golden syrup, bicarbonate of soda and boiling water. Anzac biscuits have long been associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) established in World War I. It has been claimed the biscuits were sent by wives to soldiers abroad because the ingredients do not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation. Today, ANZAC Biscuits are manufactured commercially for retail sale and are popular in Australia and New Zealand. Biscuits issued to soldiers by the Army referred to as "Anzac tiles" or "Anzac wafers" differ from the popular Anzac biscuit. Anzac tiles and wafers were hard tack, a bread substitute, which had a long shelf life and was very hard.
■ The meat pie – A hand-sized meat pie containing largely diced or minced meat and gravy, sometimes with onion, mushrooms, or cheese and often consumed as a takeaway food snack. The pie itself is similar to the United Kingdom's steak pie. It is considered iconic in Australia and New Zealand. It was described by former New South Wales Premier Bob Carr in 2003 as Australia's "national dish". Across the Tasman, New Zealanders regard the meat pie as a part of New Zealand cuisine, and it forms part of the New Zealand national identity.
■ Dampers – A traditional Australian soda bread prepared by swagmen, drovers and other travelers. It consists of a wheat flour based bread, traditionally baked in the coals of a campfire. Damper is an iconic Australian dish. It is also made in camping situations in New Zealand, and has been for many decades. Damper was originally developed by stockmen who travelled in remote areas for weeks or months at a time, with only basic rations of flour, sugar and tea, supplemented by whatever meat was available . The basic ingredients of damper were flour, water, salt and sometimes milk. Baking soda could be used for leavening. The damper was normally cooked in the ashes of the camp fire. The ashes were flattened and the damper was placed in there for ten minutes to cook. Following this, the damper was covered with ashes and cooked for another 20 to 30 minutes until the damper sounded hollow when tapped. Alternatively, the damper was cooked in a greased camp oven.Damper was eaten with dried or cooked meat or golden syrup, also known as "cocky's joy". Damper is also a popular dish with Indigenous Australians. Aboriginal women had traditionally made bush bread from seasonal grains and nuts, which they cooked in the ashes of fires. It also became a popular dish for recreational campers and has become available in bakeries. Many variations and recipes exist, some authentic, others using the name to sell a more palatable bread product to the urban public.
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