This unique blend of traditional Indigenous Australian bush tucker provided me with the best way to try a little bit of everything, with ingredients from across the entire country.
Upon tasting each different food on the plate in front of me, I began to experience a deep sense of connection with the environment I was in. The Aboriginal palate contains many sour, savory, earthy and bitter tastes. Much of my plate followed this theme. The tastes that I was experiencing were the same tastes that the Aboriginal Australians had routinely experienced for generations. Coming from a country such as the United States, where artificial sweeteners and preservatives are more common in food, it was a unique opportunity to taste flavors so bold and rich. It was also a cultural experience where I could truly understand a key part of the Aboriginal lifestyle.
For the Aboriginals, a meal such as this one would represent a significant amount of work, primarily in the gathering of ingredients. Kangaroos and emus are commonly hunted using tools such as boomerangs, spears and clubs. Aboriginals also utilize techniques to camouflage themselves, including using scented plants to mask their scent and using mimicry to lure animals or birds towards them. Once the hunt is over, the Aboriginals cook the meat directly on hot coals before consuming it. While many of the plant-based additions to the food are eaten whole, some are ground into a flour for seasoning using grinding stones.
