Who is from Australia?

[m brown]

Hey, anyone from down under???

[DC Sunshine]

G'day, yep Living in Tasmania (that's the island down the bottom that gets left off the maps!)

[shroomgirl]

devils still around?

[DC Sunshine]

Some...mainly the human kind. Poor li'l devils are suffering epidemic of facial tumours - not good and could wipe them out Animal sanctuaries trying to keep isolated populations free from the disease - nobody knows whats causing it, except that the devils fight with each other a lot and damage is pretty much facial. Lots of research going on trying to stop it. They are ugly little things and make a hellish noise - but you should see the results of these tumours...wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy, you can see a pic on this site: BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Bites spread fatal 'devil' cancer

[shroomgirl]

National Geographic had a spread on Tasmanian Devils a couple issues back....really bizarre....

[DC Sunshine]

It is bizarre - the devils have been here for thousands of years before the island was "colonised" (lots of issues there) and got along quite well. There's a poison that's used on farms here - the baits are actually laid by the government - called 1080 to control the supposed rampant fox population. You can earn a $50,000 reward for finding a fox here. Tassie is mainly agricultural and sheep a big part of the economy. Funny thing is there's only been one found in the last 5 years and a lot of people reckon that was brought in from mainland Australia as a joke (it was dead) for the reward and to justify the laying of these baits. (You never see foxes as road kill which you do on the mainland - just wallabies, roos, possums etc)

I digress. I have my thoughts that the introduction of the 1080 could have something to do with the trouble the devils are having. Whatever the cause the result is awful.

[kuan]

Does bread fall instead of raise down under?

[DC Sunshine]

You have to put the dough in the pan upside down....

[kuan]

Oh I see! Good thinking!

[DC Sunshine]

Now foccacia is REALLY tricky you gotta give us points for making it at all

[AprilB]

... heck, I really miss Oz. I lived there for almost 6 years and came back to a black hole of H**L...

Turns out most of it had to do with my son but ... oh, well...

One thing I had a hard time getting my head around in Oz was the concept of "the lot". You order a burger and you get a burger, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, tomato sauce <NOT KETCHUP thank you>, ham, (well they call it bacon but it's more like "Canadian bacon") mayo, gerkins, THEN hard fried egg, pineapple and beetroot. Yeah...

I had a problem when we lived there but so totally miss it now. Then there is vegemite, beans and toast...fried eggs that resemble magic store plastic things in both taste and texture...

My daughter and I terribly want to go back. I'd move there in a heartbeat if I could get a job that I had already arranged. We have residency and want to get citizenship ultimately.

So, what is the "anyone from Australia" question asking?

April

Originally Posted by kuan

Does bread fall instead of raise down under?

[DC Sunshine]

Mmmmm yes burgers with the lot are great - greasy messy it all falls out of the burger. We have a local shop in Tassie here that makes the best burger I've had - so much beetroot it stains the bun and caramelized onions and 1 inch thick meat and yummy runny eggs. Best place to eat it is in the bath, like a mango. Except then you can't pick the bits up off your lap.

And yes its sauce not ketchup as you say. Sacrilege any other way hehe

I wish you luck with your dream to come back - sounds like you really love it.

P.S. What's wrong with our fried eggs? <sob sob>

[PureCream]

*waves* Yeah, Aussie here. Not sure whether to classify myself from Kiama, Wollongong or (outer) Sydney. Either way - NSW. Live in Kiama, 5 mins from the beach. aaah the life! It's a tough one.

[m brown]

i was asking about australia because my side biz is arbonne (health and beauty) and we are opening the business to australia in july!

visit my site, if this is something you may like or know some one else who would be interested, feel free to contact me.

i am happy to share information.

it's kept my baking, writing and consulting habits afloat!

[AprilB]

Other than my having to make my own. Not entirely appropriate pulling one out of your bag at a coffee shop.

Hmmm...never ate a burger in the bath. Didn't eat a mango there either but it sounds like an excellent idea.

Never actually went to Tazzie although it looks like a beautiful place. Went as far South as Ballarat.

Another thing to get used to is sugar. I am not much of a sugar person (In spite of loving to bake pastries...go figure) and EVERYTHING that could contain any sugar at all seemed to have way too much sugar in it. It beats the heck out of salt though. I recently worked at a cafe for a brief time (I'm sorry, but I don't believe in the 3 second rule) and the 'chef/cook' put so much salt in any of the Italian sauces that you could feel the water retention just by smelling it.

Oh, and popcorn with NO "BUTTER" at the theaters. That was kind of interesting.

I miss the butchers and fresh seafood vendors at the mall...and the wide variety of sausages. And pasties...and meat pies...and sausage rolls...and the Royal Shows with the Showbags. And chips, and the Shiraz...and, and...sorry...I'm getting a case of Meloncholic...(LOL).

OH! AND Ozzies have the BEST FRIGGIN FIREWORKS SHOWS ON THE PLANET!!! OY OY OY!

I should think that a health and beauty business should do pretty well. At least when we were there a few years back everyone was very conscious about creams, moisturizers, sun blocks, looking good.

M_Brown, so is this a mail order/Avon <sorry> type catalog thing or a sales thing where you're going to take a trip and go door to door to businesses or wholesale mailers or?

If you have online sales I'll have a look and send it to my sister in NYC. She LOVES face cleaners and creams. (she's odd that way) Has an ENTIRE closet devoted to the stuff...I kid you not. (Probably has creams from 30 years ago when she moved there.)

If you're going there can you take my daughter and me too? She'd be a great sales person. 16 and won't stop talking!

April

Originally Posted by DC Sunshine

Mmmmm yes burgers with the lot are great - greasy messy it all falls out of the burger. We have a local shop in Tassie here that makes the best burger I've had - so much beetroot it stains the bun and caramelized onions and 1 inch thick meat and yummy runny eggs. Best place to eat it is in the bath, like a mango. Except then you can't pick the bits up off your lap.

And yes its sauce not ketchup as you say. Sacrilege any other way hehe

I wish you luck with your dream to come back - sounds like you really love it.

P.S. What's wrong with our fried eggs? <sob sob>