At its best, Australian cuisine is delicious without being fussy - the food is pleasantly multicultural, with the wholesome flavours of nature
Every nation has its culinary identity, but countries in the New World have always suffered from a kind of identity crisis in the kitchen.
In North America and Australasia, the style of cuisine depends heavily on the input of a predominantly migrant population and the countries they represent. In Australia, this means a substantial influence from Britain and Ireland, then Italy and Greece, and since the mid-1970s Asia, in particular Vietnam, Japan and China.
As the continent continues to define its national persona and culture, the lack of an established tradition can sometimes be an advantage. For example, Australia's chefs do not feel the constraints of a strictly local tradition and are free to get brazenly creative. What is more, they have some of the world's best products to work with.
The weather also plays an important role in defining Australian cuisine. The climate can be Mediterranean or tropical, depending on which state you are in, but is on the whole temperate, and this makes for an outdoors dining culture. Prawn on the barbie, beetroot in the burger and red sauce on the meat pie are all part of the al fresco effect.
Remember, this is a country where families sit down to eat a traditional European Christmas lunch in 40-degrees Centigrade weather.
