Oz Survival Guide to Food- Chips, Crisps, Chilli and Chicken?

One thing I have always enjoyed when travelling to far and distant lands is checking out the local junk food. Even with different states in the US- there is regional variation. I do have to say- awards go to Texas for some of the most inventive corn chip flavours. ANYWAY… back to Oz.

Upon arrival here- at a pub…as one does… I took my turn to buy bar snacks- ie. Potato Chips. I came back with two bags of plain salt flavoured because I was uncertain about the popularity of the other flavours. I was immediately met with massive disapproval and scolded for my humanitarian efforts to sober us up a bit. I was very coldly informed- “Aussies like any flavour of chip EXCEPT boring old plain salt chips!” My tail between my legs… I tucked that piece of information away and watched them proceed to eat the boring old salt chips anyway. While some of you may be saying that sounds a bit harsh… you’d be right.

In an effort to spare any of the rest of you the same social embarrassment- May I suggest: The Aussies love their sweet chilli and chicken flavoured chips the best. (I know I know… it sounds gross). Chips at a pub tend to be around $3.80 and they give them to you in a bowl for sharing.

Now- due to the POMmie influence here (“Prisoner Of her royal Majesty” = Brits… very ironic…..) They are happy to call French Fries- either fries or chips. And potato chips can be called chips or crisps. At any rate- to help with the confusion- if you want fries- specify- hot chips (always with chicken salt if you want to make some Aussies happy) and if you want chips simply point behind the bar and incoherently mumble… those ones there…with the sweet chilli.

For Allergy people- the only Aussie chips that are gluten free are the plain salt chips- and recently a salt and pepper variety. All chip packets are labelled with allergy information.

Check out the OZ Survival guides to Food: