Iconic Aussie Food: Schnitzel (Yes, Schnitzel)
This post is part of an ongoing series on iconic Aussie food. Be sure to check back for more food adventures, or subscribe to my RSS feed to receive updates automatically to your reader.
You read that right. Schnitzel would in fact be considered an iconic piece of Aussie food (pub food in the list of famous Australian food). If you’re thinking that this doesn’t sound right, it’s probably because schnitzel is a German food, but the Aussies have definitely made it their own.
I was sitting at a pub with a couple of German girls, and one was showing the other that schnitzel was on the menu. I turned to them and said, “Australians love schnitzel. You’ll find it at just about every pub around this country.” They looked a bit surprised, or impressed, by the little bit of wisdom I provided them that moment.
Mmm… breaded and fried meat. It doesn’t get much better than that, and after coming to Australia I began to wonder why the American people hadn’t picked up on this little bit of food goodness. Then again, we have something that compares: the fried pork tenderloin. Just writing this, I’m getting food cravings for my favorite tenderloin shop back in the States. Still, if I must be without them, the schnitzel is a great substitute!
When ordering a schnitzel, they will typically be chicken or veal, served with chips and your choice of sauce. It is quite popular to get a pepper sauce or maybe even a hollandaise to soak your schnitzel and chips in, or there’s always trusty tomato sauce (ketchup) to suit.
Giant Schnitzels and Schnitzel Challenges
There was a funny Hamish & Andy skit recently that led to Hamish trying to devour a giant schnitzel with chips and a liter of beer in an hour. As you can imagine, that turned into quite a disgusting sight – but funny no less. Watch if you dare.
If you want to recreate this moment, but to a lesser degree, the Bavarian Bier Cafe in Sydney offers a giant schnitzel (not too giant) that if you eat it all, you get a shot of schnapps at the end.
Remember, schnitzel is generally better in moderation.