My Favourite Things - Food Glorious Food! Quiz

Answer: Oysters

Barilla Bay Oyster Farm is just a few minutes from the Hobart Airport. You can tour the farm at weekends and see the oysters growing. They are lovely meaty oysters, full of flavour. (No, I don't work for the company!)

Myself, I prefer seeing oysters on the plate, ready to be gobbled up, prepared any of my favourite ways - Kilpatrick, ginger and spring onion with rice wine, or 'au naturel' ...yum!

Answer: Vegemite

This is the jingle:
We're happy little Vegemites as bright as bright can be,
We all enjoy our Vegemite for breakfast, lunch and tea,
Our Mummy says we're growing stronger every single week,
Because we love our Vegemite,
We all adore our Vegemite,
It puts a rose in every cheek!

It may also be found on YouTube, if you'd like to see it sung.

Answer: Zabaglione

The French name for this decadent dessert is Sabayone. I worked in an Italian restaurant in Melbourne when I was quite young and the dessert chef was kind enough to indulge my passion for it.

Answer: Passionfruit

There are several sorts of passionfruit. I grew up with a purple variety, Nelly Kelly. It's easy to make passionfruit icing for a sponge cake by adding the pulp of the fruit to icing sugar (powdered sugar) and mixing it well. Another easy thing to do with passionfruit is to scoop the pulp onto the top of a pavlova, which has been previously covered with whipped cream.

Answer: Lamb

Lamb! There is quite a large Greek population in Melbourne, so I was privileged to grow up eating lamb Greek style, as well as the more traditional roasts, barbecue chops and stews. It's also great as the base for vegetable soup in winter.

Answer: Asparagus

I like nice fresh asparagus lightly sauteed with a little butter and white vinegar, with a pinch of ground black pepper. The crowns are planted in trenches and, after a couple of years, yield well.

Pliny the Elder, in his extensive work "Historia Naturalis", notes that a decoction of asparagus juice was to be 'given for a sting of serpents' (I am not sure how effective that was!) and for stomach ailments.

Answer: Onions

In Australia, we often have a 'Sausage Sizzle' as a means of fundraising. You get a sausage and tomato sauce wrapped in a piece of bread, with or without fried onions. The smell makes buying one almost irresistible!

Answer: Funnel Cake

I first tried funnel cakes when I went to the State Fair in Texas, and it was love at first bite. It's likely that funnel cakes, doughnuts and poffertjes all came from similar beginnings, with regions adding their own twist.

Answer: Raspberries

I love raspberries served just about any way - in daiquiris, on waffles or just as they are. A favourite Aunt of mine used to make delicious Raspberry Vinegar Cordial. A little of the cordial with ice and water makes a refreshing summer drink.

Answer: Crème Caramel

Served with a little whipped or double cream and a few fresh berries...perfect!