AUSTRALIA THE COOKBOOK

"An ambitious new book from Phaidon chronicles three periods of Australian cuisine, from the ancient past to the Anglo era after colonization to the multicultural present" – New York Times

Australia is a true melting pot of cultures and this is reflected in its cooking. As an island of indigenous peoples alongside a global panoply of immigrants with different culinary influences and traditions, its foodways are ripe for exploration. As well as the regional flora and fauna that make up bush tucker, there are dishes from all over the world that have been adopted and adapted to become Australia's own – making this recipe collection relevant to home cooks everywhere. The home cooking recipes range from iconic – chicken parmigiana, meat pies, Anzac biscuits and Lamingtons – to lesser known dishes such as Queensland blue pumpkin soup, Stir fried native greens, and Cumquat marmalade, together with a 'guest chef' collection of recipes by a selection of Australia's finest kitchen talents.

Ross Dobson grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney. His neighbours were mostly immigrants from around the globe who shared their recipes and introduced him to a world of flavours. At 14 he enrolled in a Chinese cooking course at his local college which ignited a life-time passion for cooking. He later went on to establish a number of acclaimed cafés and restaurants in the western suburbs of Sydney, including one in the heritage gardens of an art gallery and a tapas restaurant in an old Victorian terrace house, which also operated as a pop-up yum cha restaurant every Sunday. Dobson has authored many best-selling cookbooks including Chinatown, Fired Up, More Fired Up and King of the Grill. He currently operates a café in Penrith, at the foot of the Blue Mountains, where he cooks classic and contemporary Australian food.