Slow Food Bush Tucker Picnic In the Botanic Gardens

I went for a picnic last Sunday in the Royal Botanic Gardens. At this particular picnic, rather than bringing my own supplies, I just brought my rug and my camera. Everything else was provided. This was the 2009 Sydney International Food Festival's "Slow Food Bush Tucker Picnic".

What is slow food? Alison Drover, of Slow Food Sydney explained: "It's the opposite of fast food." Slow food tries to rediscover food. Real food. Food that comes from the earth, not a wrapper. The slow food philosophy means trying to shorten the food chain - know where your food comes from. The more refined, the more processed your food is, the less nutrition it's going to contain. Our tomatoes are engineered to pack neatly, withstand bumpy truck rides and still look their best. It's just not natural. Slow food suggests a better way. Food without plastic: as nature intended.

The day dawned wet, but rain doesn't deter slow foodies. The god father of Slow Food, Carlo Petrini himself made a special guest appearance to sample Aussie offerings. Huddled under a large tree, the crowd was introduced to the Botanic Gardens with a recognition of the traditional aboriginal owners. Then began our lesson in bush tucker.

I cannot adequately summarize the scope and joys of native Australian food. They are many and varied. The menu we were treated to was designed by multi-award-winning chef Jean-Paul Bruneteau, author of Tukka, Real Australian Food.

The appetizer was a delicate and delicious emu prosciutto served with Australian olives and coz lettuce drizzled with lemon myrtle mayonnaise, and scattered with perfect garlic croutons roasted with a hint of aniseed myrtle.

Next, the main - slow roo torpedo roll -- a hearty and rustic meal. Kangaroo and lamb sausage was smothered with bush tomato onion relish and served with crisp salad leaves on a fresh sourdough roll with wattleseed crust.

And finally, rocky road trifle was served for dessert. It came with marshmallow, macadamia nut brittle, native fruit jellies and wattleseed liqueur.

Photo: © S. Wongkaew (2009) licensed to About.com, Inc