Has your French, Spanish or Italian trip ever been ruined by the fact you couldn’t buy Walkers crisps or a Yorkshire pudding? Imagine being 16,991.63 kilometres away from home and not being able to purchase many of your favourite and most comforting foods. My name is Justine and I am currently studying abroad for six months away from that spider and insect loving land down under.
Please tell me that you have heard of Vegemite? Milo? Tim Tams? CHICKEN SALT?! No of course you haven’t because much to my utter disappointment Morrisons doesn’t stock these irreplaceable items. I am sure I could probably obtain these items in special stores in London but unfortunately, as we all know, students like me run a very, very tight budget. Most of my spare change is spent on travelling and so I thought I would enlighten you all on the many foods I have been so miserable without.
Vegemite
First off, Vegemite tastes nothing like Marmite. Marmite is basically the milder version of Vegemite and why go for the milder version and not the full throttle England? Vegemite is darker, richer, saltier and even in a well-known Australian song – beat that Marmite!
“He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich” – Down Under by Men at Work
Milo
Milo is a crunchy, textured, chocolate malt powder which can be hot or cold when mixed with water or milk. Milo is perfect for that last pick me up before bed or when you are studying or watching a girly movie with your friends. It’s chocolaty, but sort of nutritious, and beats a crappy hot chocolate any day!
Chicken Salt
Chicken salt is basically the best chip seasoning known to man, well any Australian man! Chicken salt for me even beats tomato sauce, mayo and by far vinegar.
Tim Tams
Composed of two layers of chocolate malted biscuit and separated by a light chocolate cream filling, a Tim Tam is often compared to a Penguin biscuit but it’s so, so, so much better. Tim Tam’s are absolute greatness, so much so that there is even the term ‘Tim Tam slams’, where both ends of the Tim Tam are bitten off and are used as a straw to drink milk or tea right through it.
Paddle Pop’s
Mention a Streets Paddle Pop ice cream to any Aussie born in the 90’s and I am sure they will immediately reply with a huge grin on their face. A Paddle Pop is the definition of creamy rainbow gold on a wooden stick!
When people ask me when I get back “did you miss your family and friends?” I am going to have to reply “sort of”, but in actual fact I missed Vegemite and Tim Tams more.
Justine McKenna
Image Source:
1) http://answerangels.com.au/do-you-like-vegemite/
2) http://www.mywoklife.com/2013/11/my-girl-told-me-what-are-the-5-reasons-to-drink-milo-every-day.html