Australia - Food, Fun and...Rainforests??

    Australia is an interesting country to me for many reasons, the first of which is the fact that so many Americans want to go there despite having very little knowledge of what the country is like. I'm serious. Ask 10 of your friends and I doubt very much that more than one or two will say they have no desire to take a trip to Australia, and even one or two may even be a high guess. But, if you then ask those people what Australia is like, they will probably give you a good description of Crocodile Dundee's scenery. Now much of Australia is "Outback," or kind of a brush, small tree filled desert, but how many people here know that Australia holds an enormous rain forest on the northeast portion of the country? As a matter of fact, over 92% of Australians live in the coastal urban cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, and Brisbane). This concentration of people in urban areas does drive one of the most wonderful melting pot foodie scenes in the world.
    This culinary atmosphere is the second reason Australia is so freakin awesome. Many wouldn't think about the fact that there is such an Asian influence here, but if you think about it Australia is about as close to Asia as you can get without officially being an Asian. Therefore, some of the best Asian food I've ever had has been in Sydney. Also, not only is there great Asian food, but fun, new meats as well. If you're in Australia then it would be sacrilege not to at least try an indigenous meat like ostrich or kangaroo, but this country is also known for some of the best steak and lamb in the entire world, not to mention the seafood caught around all of these coastal cities. The other thing Australia is known for is their wine. Aussie Shiraz  is just awesome. It usually has a spicier feel on the palate than comparable Californian or South African wine, and is often the perfect companion to a nice t-bone or plump lamb chop.
    "So you've whetted my palate, where should I go for this delicious food?" You ask, I answer. If you want a little of everything then there is no better place than Sydney. Sydney is beautiful, as this pic shows,

and it is also Australia's largest city and as such, plays host to just about every type of food found on the continent. From personal experience if you want one of the best chinese duck dishes ever then head over to Billy Kwong for a crispy duck that is served with oranges, mandarins, or plums depending on season. This duck is so far beyond perfect that life afterwards is almost a let down. You won't have better crispy duck for the rest of you life, so you'll just have to get used to that fact if you're a duck lover. It's pretty crowded and the restaurant is on the tiny side, but it is definitely worth it. Another Asian food that doesn't get enough recognition around the world but is presented wonderfully in Australia is Mamak in Sydney. Malaysian food is a great mix between Indian and Chinese or Thai. It has a vast array of curries served along/on top of/in/etc. lamb, veggies, breads (roti) and rice. Mamak is a very authentic place with some of the best, most complex curries that showcase malaysian food at its finest. You have to try a few different roti's and any one of the satays. Malaysian food maybe new to you, but this place will bring you back over and over. I don't really have too many recommendations for more typical lamb/steak fare, but there are so many great places in sydney and Melbourne that you can really just close your eyes and point and you'll find one. The best idea is just to walk down the street and find a place that serves multiple types of the dish you want most.
    An area I mentioned earlier that many people don't know about Australia is the rainforest in North Queensland (Northeast Australia). This is one of the oldest rainforests in the world (over 65 million years older than the Amazon) and is truly an experience in and of itself. If you are able to, that is if you have the budget, the treehouse type hotels in the rainforest between Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation are really neat and often have fantastic activities in both the rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. There are rainforest hikes, zip lines, nature centers, boat rides, reef diving, and tons of other stuff to do while you're tucked up away from the rest of the country. Just because the area is so beautiful, here are a few pics from my trip here back in 2006.

    The food up here is also something of a draw. In Canberra (the largest city in this area) there is a huge Asian influence, but in the rainforest itself the thing in which to indulge are the fruits and nuts. For all of you who like passion fruit, this is where some of the best in the world is found. you will find yourself addicted, and I'm not kidding one bit. I think my father still has dreams about eating pounds of passion fruits in the morning. They are worth the trip all by themselves.
    As to the rest of the country, if you want to venture out into the Outback of Australia then you will not be disappointed. I was not able to see this part of the country when my father and I went, but Ayer's Rock is supposed to be spectacular and there is a reason that Australia is known for the Outback (aside from the oh so local Bloomin Onions). The primary point here is that you will not be disappointed no matter where you aim your trip. My suggestion is just to go there, which is not all that hard nowadays. I've actually found much cheaper airfare from the US to Sydney than from Chicago to LA, and often you can often find round trip tickets for about $600 per way.
    As per usual, here is the recipe for the week. Since there isn't really a single dish that represents Australia, I've tried to combine the wonderful meat heritage of the country with some of its newer Asian influences. The dish is marinated lamb loin chops, but I'm going to give you a few choices for the marinade. The first one is a Peanut Satay marinade, and the second is a Honey and Soy marinade, and I'll also give you two different ways to cook the meat. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Peanut Satay marinated Lamb Loin Chops
- 1 lamb loin chop for each person, these marinades are presented for 2 chops so increase or decrease as necessary
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon curry powder

Ingredients for Honey and Soy marinated Lamb Loin Chops

- 3 tablespoons honey

- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce

- garlic, crushed, to taste

- 1 teaspoon grated ginger

- black pepper to taste

Directions for Grilling

Preheat grill or BBQ on high. Cook chops about 2 minutes, until just starting to brown, before basting with sauce (optional). Continue cooking lamb chops for another 3-5 minutes each side, basting occasionally.  If desired, serve chops with leftover basting sauce for dipping.


Directions for Sauteing
In a heavy frying pan, sear over high heat for ½ to 2 minutes each side, until just starting to brown, before basting with sauce (optional). Reduce heat to medium and cook chops for 2-4 more minutes, turning once.  If desired, serve chops with leftover basting sauce for dipping.