Category: Drinks and Foods

The surprising history of Arnott’s Shapes starts with an adventurous German baker, and a forgotten Australian biscuit company.

The first granny smith was grown by the real Granny Smith, an amateur horticulturalist and early migrant to convict era Sydney.

The origin of Tim Tams required a penguin, a racehorse, a copycat, and a lot of chocolate. The end result: Australia’s most popular biscuit.

A fixture at get-togethers in Australia and New Zealand, and claimed by both, this humble sweet remains a cause of ongoing debate: who invented the Pavlova?

For 70 years, the US government maintained a National Raisin Reserve. It was only ended by Supreme Court intervention.

McDonald’s came to Australia in 1971. It was part of a large expansion for the company, and a transformational moment for local cuisine.

Where do Macadamia nuts originate? Two things I did not know about them; they are native to Australia, and most of the world’s population can be traced to a single Queensland tree.

The origins of potato chips can be traced to Thomas Jefferson, by way of an irascible, short-tempered chef in upstate New York.

Who invented the hamburger? There are many claimants, and no clear answer. We weigh the most likely contenders.