Saturday, January 26, 2008

Australians All Let Us Rejoice

Sausage Lunch for Australia Day

It's AUSTRALIA DAY today so I won't consider it too garish to get a little patriotic say a big G'day to all of you! And if you were thinking that we are all putting that trite little shrimp on the barbie then think again, first of all we call them prawns down here and were most likely going to be putting snags or chops on the barbie. Yes, snags or chops. Sausages or steaks.

You have to love the Aussie lexicon. It's baffling and nonsensical to the outsider; we love to attach silly terms to words that are in perfect working order and love to shorten everything, but if you are Australian it makes perfect sense. Like a cup of tea being a cuppa, chewing gum becomes chewie, breakfast being breakkie, and anyone called Darren, Karen and Lauren will indubitably be given the nickname Dazza, Kazza, and Lozza. I love being Australian.

Sausage Lunch

Another thing quintessentially Australian and proudly so, is the barbie- the barbeque. Now I'm pretty sure it wasn't the early settlers who thought up this way of grilling meat over hot coals, I'm sure it was around for a lot longer than that. But what we do pride ourselves in are our barbies. Most people will get together today and put a few snags on their barbie, have a beer and good laugh. We're not into formality and being all ceremonious about things, and the barbie epitomises all that is casual about the Australian lifestyle.

There's something about meat that is cooked over an open flame that just makes it taste better. All that smoke and fire permeating the meat, charring the outside and leaving the inside tender. It's a joy to behold and even more so to eat.

Sausage Lunch

Right now I'm on a bit of a sausage bent. I have it with my pasta, I have in my sandwiches and I have it on my pizza. Right now I'm obsessed with finding good sausages all over Sydney and for this moment my taste buds go ga-ga for any sausage by the Eumundi Smokehouse people. They are a small business operating out of Dulwich Hill and if you're in Sydney and you like your meat, then this is your Mecca. They also have stalls at several markets like the monthly Pyrmont ones and the Farmer's Market in the Entertainment Quarter and most of their stuff can be found at organic wholefood stores like Macro and Aboutlife.

Their chorizos are probably one of the best I have tasted in Sydney, and at $32/kilo for the Russian Farmer's sausage, it's gold for the discriminating carnivore. As much as the shop is filled with exotic fare, there are also simpler stuff that I find are a delight- like the beef and Guinness, lamb and rosemary, chicken and leek, Tolouse and Italian sausages. My personal favourite is the lamb and rosemary. When you cook them up, the kitchen fills up with that distinct aroma of lamb, and soon enough it's perfume has summoned everyone to the kitchen.

Sausage Lunch

I went to the farmer's market at the old Fox Studios lot this week to get my ration of sausages for the weekend and it seems that most of Sydney had the same idea. By the time I had arrived at the Eumundi stall most of their sausages had already sold out including the lamb and rosemary, so I was left with what was still there. Not that the stuff left behind was second-rate. It's actually top-notch stuff that I thoroughly enjoy today.

So have a barbie and get a few sausage sangas (sausage sandwiches) and beers into your belly, be up standing for the national anthem and enjoy this beautiful land we call Australia.

Eumundi Smokehouse Sydney

402 New Canterbury Rd,
Dulwich Hill, NSW
Phone: (02) 9569 0205
Opening Hours: Thursday-Friday 11am-6pm, Saturday 7am-2pm

22 comments:

Helene said...

Happy Australia Day! The sandwich looks wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Happy Australia Day to you too!

I always understood a "chop" to be something different to a "steak". A chop has a piece of bone attached and lamb chops are much more common than beef chops. They use the term in the UK as well as Australia; I'm not sure it's uniquely Australian.

"Snag" is a great word - I miss that living over here. In Britain they call them "bangers", which is pretty good too.

Barbecued prawns are actually lovely. Have you ever tried it? The shell goes crisp and you can actually eat it. Or if you are cooking de-shelled prawns, then wait just until they go pink - leave them too long and they will be chewy.

Barbecued squid is great too, but same goes - wait until they are a solid white and then take off the heat or they will overcook and be rubbery. They are especially good marinated first in lemon and pepper.

Caitlin (The Gooseberry Fool)

Anonymous said...

I also love sausages! In Hawaii, what we call Portuguese sausages are very popular with eggs and rice for breakfast. Hmmm, maybe I'll have that in the morning. :)

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

ooh, how fun!! Happy Australia Day, Jenjen!!

Cakespy said...

Yay for yummy food days! Yay for Australia for the gift of delicious sandwich ideas!

Anonymous said...

mmm... I love the Eumundi Smokehouse. It is about a 3 minute walk from our house which makes it hard to resist. I agree - their Chorizo is the best I have tasted.

m said...

cuppa is a word used in the UK so don't think its unique to Australia.

Happy Australia Day!

Brilynn said...

I miss Australia! I want to go back!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

I'd definitely love a bite of that gorgeous sandwich! Happy belated Australia Day!

Cheers,

Rosa

Alya said...

Hii.. I chose u as a "You Make My Day" blog, you can see it in my site.

ilingc said...

A belated Happy Australia Day Jen!

I would've loved some prawns on the barbie and a snag like yours on Saturday. Too bad it's mid winter over here at the moment and we didn't have a grill to have our own indoor barbie.

Ahh how I miss Aussie summers.

Anonymous said...

I adore all things Australian, most especially the accent! I love your slang for Breakfast and use it myself, even though I'm American through and through. My goal is to get down undah' for my 30th birthday next year. I have to get to Australia AND New Zealand. Is it possible to do both in one trip?

AlicePleasance said...

I've got something for you in my blog ;-)

http://thecupcakediary.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-made-my-day.html

Firefoxcub said...

ooh happy belated ozzie day. 26th is also India's republic day- the day our constitution was written... and also good luck with the bloggies.

Pearl said...

Happy Australia Day. Looks like you had a good time at the barbie.

Anonymous said...

Happy Australia Day! Hope you had a fab time!

We call em prawns too. Ahh Babecues, emmmm lovely! Not sure I want to brave the icy weather for that though!

Anonymous said...

Well done on the nomination - and I really like your photos!

Alejandra Ramos said...

Oh man...that looks incredible!

Anonymous said...

looks amazing!!

Anonymous said...

Oooh that looks like so much delicious fun! Happy belated Australia Day!

Blossom said...

That's the best looking 'sausage in a bun' I've ever seen!!! I am a secret blog reader of yours and love it. I've just nominated you for the 'You Make My Day' award on my blog.

Anonymous said...

Ah, the quintessential Aussie barbie!! I really miss that, I spent a year in Australia last year and I'm actually really home sick for it! I loved the barbies so much, you tend to serve them with salads and just a loaf of bread or something which is more better than at home, where everything comes in a breadcake! You also have barbeque and sweet chilli sauce on every table too, which I loved!