Food Items Sold in Australia ?

[svBeBe]

Are dehydrated vegetables available in Australia? We have found since arriving in New Zealand that the Sunshine brand of dehydrated peas, carrots, mixed veggies and green beans are very good. Hoping thess are also sold in Australia.

Also, is corn meal sold in Australia? New Zealand stores have never even heard of corn meal. How about Masa harina? And dried beans of any variety?

Judy
S/V BeBe
Amel SM2 #387

[Weyalan]

Yes; food items are sold in Australia. We also have flushing toilets (well, some of us do), and I believe electricity is becoming more common. Just the other day I saw an automobile too!

[Weyalan]

...but seriously, yes to pretty much all of the above:

all manner of drieve vegetables are available... maybe the brand names are different, but there are plenty to choose from. Supermarkets will have a selection

You can get every type of dried bean under the sun - most supermarkets will stock a reasonable range, but if there is a specific type you want, you may need to find a healthfood shop. But kidney beans, borlotti beans, black-eye beans etc will all be readily available, as are chickpeas, lentils, etc.

Cornmeal is available, but it is probably going to be more common to see cornflour. Masa harina is probably going to be hard to find. Mexican type food is relatively uncommon (there is almost no ethnic Mexican / Central American population here), so if you are used to making tamales / tortillas, etc, you are probably going to be out of luck.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Yes; food items are sold in Australia. We also have flushing toilets (well, some of us do), and I believe electricity is becoming more common. Just the other day I saw an automobile too!

Weyalan...Do you guys still paddle out in your dugouts to greet cruisers???

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Weyalan...Do you guys still paddle out in your dugouts to greet cruisers???

Nah, we've taught our kangaroos to swim.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Just the other day I saw an automobile too!

LOL you are funny

Forigners are funny too... when the come into our supermarkets and ask for Jello only to be met with a blank stare... what?

Anyway....

Dont expect a great deal of dehidrated veges here. the ones we have are basic and expensive. Why? Cos we eat fresh! The is plenty of canned.

Have a look whats on offer by one of our major supermarkets in their online shopping thingy

Woolworths Homeshop
(to access site use postcode 2000 sydney or 4000 brisbane depending on where you are headed)


We do not have Aunt Jemmimas Pancake mix so that may be a major critical care factor. It sure is for us

[MarkJ]

ONe thing to buy before you leave New Zeland is canned butter. There is none here available.

Fronterra is the NZ company that does a lot of different brands (don't mention Chinese babies)

We stocked with a years supply but it was very difficult in Aus.

No dehydrated mixed veges here either, no carrots ...


Mark

[Jim Cate]

Judy,

A couple of bits:

Corn meal will draw a blank, but if you look for Polenta you will find it in most Woolies etc, and it seems to work.

Corn flour is the Stryne term for corn starch in real English.

We have severe Mexican food withdrawal here, but find a slowly improving base of ingredients. Old El Paso brand is commonly available, but ain't much to write home about. Most fresh ingredients are available at times, with the unfortunate lack of tomatillos, which are unknown. Various fresh chillies appear sporadically, but many lack the acustomed heat. Cilantro, known as Coriander is often available in areas with Asian populations. Ground chillies are often available in Indian markets. They are indeed hot, but have different flavours than our familiar Mixican and New Mexican varieties. We import supplies of Anchos, Chipotles, New Mex Hot, Pasilla and so on when we get the chance. AQIS doesn't seem to mind the ground ones, but will balk at whole dried ones.

In general, fresh food supplies are of excellent quality, widely available in most cruising areas south of Cairns, and (especially if funded with US dollars - for now at least -) reasonably priced. We've eaten very well in our years here.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Gladstone

[Weyalan]

Remind me to cook mexican for you if our wakes ever cross again, Jim.

[MarkJ]

We import supplies of Anchos, Chipotles, New Mex Hot, Pasilla

Why IMPORT (you traitor! I thought you were Dinki-Di Aussie!)

The supermarkets have Mexican food: Taco Kits. And the side of the box says they are authentic!

What more could you want?


Mark

[witzgall]

CANNED BACON!!!!!!

[Weyalan]

The only "Mexican" (and I use the term very loosely) food that is somewhat common here is nachos And that means a packet of crappy corn chips with a jar of "taco sauce" (yuck) poured over it, some grated cheese, baked in a n over with a dollop of canned pseudo-guacamole and some sour cream.... ugh!

FWIW there are some good hot chillis to be had - most supermarkets sell Thai birds-eye chillis which are plenty hot. You will also somtimes find habaneros (ouch). Jalapenos are common too.

[MidLandOne]

If you are still in NZ then we ourselves have never had a problem buying corn meal here but perhaps it has disappeared off the shelves recently (into the world's biofuel maybe ). I am not at home at the moment so can't check the pantry but one brand we have bought (in Woolworths, Foodtown) is in a smallish mostly green cardboard packet found in the baking products section (similar packets from same manufacturer have other flours and ground grains in them).

Maybe it is no longer stocked - will be interested to see when we next go shopping.

It is difficult to find much of a range of mexican food ingredients here in NZ as has never been very popular, even mexican restaurants have never really caught on - perhaps because we have never been part of Mexico .

With respect to Oz, we get over there frequently and always take boxes of food, our bikes and a portapotty. Have never seen the automobile that Weyalan mentioned - see plenty of horses and bikes though . Seriously though, we have found that supermarkets of the same size on both sides of the Tasman stock similar ranges of food and mostly of the same brands (many supermarkets here, in particlular the Woolworths/Foodtown/Countdown markets are Oz owned).

You'll enjoy your visit though, especially if interested in the Oz fauna.

[starfish62]

Just don't try to find any mozzarella cheese for lasagna, and you'll be okay.

[Jim Cate]

Hey Mark --

I reckon they are really authentic, just like they say. Just ain't sure authentic what. Any resemblance to Mexican food is imaginary. But, I've found that the corn tortillas sold in Woolies can be used instead of chopped strand matt in GRP layups...

And no, I'm not a fair dinkum Aussie, I'm a bloody Yank. Couldn't help it... born there you know,

And Patrick, I'd enjoy sharing some Mexican meals with you and Lisa when we meet again. Just the other night I made a batch of killer Green Chicken Enchiladas that even my grandkids liked!

Cheers,