Evaluation |
Greek food culture has had an immense effect on Australian eating habits for over 150 years and there is no sign of it slowing down.
In 1851, the gold rush brought many Greeks and their families across the world to reside in Australia. This gave them the chance to open restaurants and introduce their unique Greek flavours to the people of Australia. After migrating due to the gold rush, in 1869, George Morphesis and Andreas Lekatsas, opened traditional Greek restaurants in Melbourne, changing Australian food culture forever. Since this moment, cafes, restaurants and milk bars serving Greek cuisine were seen everywhere and considered a normal part of Australian living. The variety of traditional Greek delicacies and produce being sold in the markets continued to grow, as did the demand of these products from town and cities all around the country. Although Australian’s were more familiarised with the flavours of Greece, it wasn’t until recent years, in the late 1900’s they started to cook Greek food of their own. Choriatiki (Greek salad) was made commonly as well as moussaka (egglplant-based layered dish) and souvlaki. Greek ingredients were now being used often, such as olive oil, garlic and phyllo pastry. This was a result of Greek cookbooks being published and Australians travelling to Greece to experience their rich culture. Today, Greek food sometimes has a modern twist and is a popular option when dining out or buying take-away. There are over 50 Greek restaurants just in the city of Sydney, not including pubs and bistros selling aspects of the cuisine. There are also numerous grocers and fast-food shops that are well-liked among the Australian population. Australian's taste-buds have become acquired to the unique flavours of Greece ever since 150 years ago and Greek food is now a very important part of everyday food habits all around Australia. |