What are some typically australian foods?

Q. I am going to Italy on exchange soon, and have decided to make a little gift hamper for my host family with some australian products in it.
so far i have:
- tim tams
- vegemite
- macadamias

any other ideas?
Much appreciated! x

A. I have to say that it is almost impossible to get a decent milk shake in America or Europe. The best milk shakes in the world can be found in Australia and New Zealand! Of course, this might be difficult to put in a hamper. My suggestions to fill your hamper with the following iconic Australian fare:

Vegemite (but, of course, this is definitely an ACQUIRED taste to people outside Australia)
Cherry Ripes (Mmmmm!); Macadamia nuts; Violet Crumble; Jaffas; Tim Tams (there are a wide range of different flavours today too); Musk sticks; Lamingtons; ANZAC biscuits; the commercial breakfast cereal Weet Bix; Worcestershire sauce, pickled beetroot and, of course, don't forget to top up your hamper with a selection of absolutely delicious Australian wines (eg red Cabernet Merlot, Cabernet Shirz and whites like Verdellho, White Burgundy etc) PLUS a seclection of great Aussie beers (canned and bottled).

Also if you go to any of the Aussie markets you can purchase home-made Aussie style jams and bottles of delicious Aussie lemon spread.

The following items are unique to Australia but won't transport well: The Boston bun, Pavlova, the Vanilla slice; Damper; the Australian burger is made with a beef patty, lettuce and salad items, bacon and a fried egg on top; Meat pie and Kangaroo or Emu meat.

If you want some ideas, click on the following link which gives ideas for Aussie style hampers and lists a wide range of iconic Australian food ..

http://www.greataussiefood.com.au/listProduct/Food/Gift+Hampers

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Can someone give me a summary of the Whale Rider book?

Q. i need one by tomorrow. i really need help. Please!

A. description-
Eight-year-old Kahu, a member of the Maori tribe of Whangara, New Zealand, fights to prove her love, her leadership, and her destiny. Her people claim descent from Kahutia Te Rangi, the legendary "whale rider." In every generation since Kahutia, a male heir has inherited the title of chief. But now there is no male heir, and the aging chief is desperate to find a successor. Kahu is his only great-grandchild--and Maori tradition has no use for a girl. But when hundreds of whales beach themselves and threaten the future of the Maori tribe, it is Kahu who saves the tribe when she reveals that she has the whale rider's ancient gift of communicating with whales.

my ideas......
This is going to be another review featuring heavy reference to the movie about the book... just so's you're warned. In my defence, there probably aren't very many people around who read the book before seeing the movie, and they're likely all in NZ - the book was never even published in America before the movie, so at least I'm not alone.

Anyway, I was tickled (yes, tickled!) to find out that this was actually written in NYC, and in part inspired by a whale coming up the Hudson in the 80s. From NZ to NY... so I like identifying with authors, shut up.

Right. The book. The story has a bunch of extra stuff in written form (compared to the movie), and the narrator, Kahu's uncle Rawiri is a particularly nice one of those. He's an engaging character - both sympathetic and amusing (as with Pounamu Pounamu, one of the most fun things for me about Ihimaera's writing is how funny he can be), and he grounds the main plot well. I have a thing for stories where the narrator is only a peripheral character to the main action, so that's probably part of the appeal.

There's also far more context in the book - of the tribe, of the place of Maori in New Zealand culture as a whole, of the whales. The passing reference to Pacific nuclear testing and Muroroa gives away the period it was written (so 80s, and so very very kiwi to throw that in there), but on the other hand, the title character, Kahu, is less rich than Pae in the movie. I have a new appreciation for just how amazing Keisha Castle-Hughes was in the movie now, as well as the grandfather (who I can only remember as 'that guy who was on Shortland St [NZ soap opera:] for a while', but that describes pretty much every kiwi actor ever), because the movie was all about showing a very complex, very powerful relationship between the two characters, and the book is stuck with just telling us about it. It can't pack nearly the same level of emotional punch... but I don't think that's really it's fault (we're all just spoilt by the performances in the movie, and the difference in constraints in the two media).

It's still good, though, and it's still quite funny, touching, occasionally gut-wrenching, and even thought-provoking. Not a bad effort.

hope this will help you!!

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