August 29, 2014

[widdletigger]

Tell us something unique to your corner of the world. A food, a phrase, a type of clothing? Maybe a tradition?

[stanAdelaide]

I'm not really a foodie type, but one thing I thought of was "Pie floaters" local to South Australia, mainly Adelaide.

I thought I better check Wikipedia first, and of course a pie floater does get a mention. A pie floater is a meat pie, placed in a bowl and then covered with thick green pea soup and then loads of tomato sauce on top. A pie floater is usually purchased in the street from pie-carts as a late evening meal.

Adelaide's first pie-cart (horse-drawn) was established in the early 1870s. There were 13 pie-carts operating in Adelaide in the 1880s. By 1915 only 9 pie-carts remained; down to 2 by 1958 and now none (but one may return next year).

Another useful link is: SA Memory: Pie floater

I have to admit that I have never actually had a pie floater (the picture on Wikipedia doesn't look that appetising).

However, I make up my own version: a hot meat pie in a bowl, but instead of some sort of pea soup, I simply have
normal peas with gravy (cooked in the same jug in a microwave). Pour gravy & peas over the pie together with plenty of tomato sauce. Now, because I was thinking about this earlier, I decided to make my version for lunch today. [Gone in less than 5 minutes.]

My version of a pie floater

PS. I never take photos of the food I eat, so this is a first.
Stan

[widdletigger]

Wow definitely unique Stan! so is that tomato sauce like you would put on spagetti?

[stanAdelaide]

Hi widdletigger, I think "pasta sauce" is like our tomato sauce plus more ingredients such as herbs.

From Wikipedia: The most common use of the term tomato sauce in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa is to describe a popular, commercially produced condiment, typically applied to foods such as meat pies, sausages, other meats and chips. Tomato-based sauces served with pasta would commonly be referred to as "pasta sauce".

And: Australians do not use the word "ketchup"; ketchup is made with vinegar, and is a pickle sauce; Australian tomato sauce is made without vinegar. [Is that true about ketchup contains vinegar?]

The ingredients on the bottle of tomato sauce state: Tomato Puree (water + paste), Sugar, Salt, Acidity Regulator & Flavour.

Stan

[widdletigger]

huh I shall have to go look at my Ketchup . . . we go though so much of it at my house a giant bottle lives permanently on my kitchen table. Well color me shocked. Here in america ketchup contains vinegar. My son won't eat any meat with out it so we go though plenty of it here. The only exception is he will grudgingly eat meatballs in pasta sauce, but he much prefers the pasta to the meatballs.