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A little history.
Bush tucker is the Australian term for the huge variety of edible herbs, spices, mushrooms, fruits, flowers, vegetables, animals, birds, reptiles and insects that are native to the country.
Early explorers were amazed at the health of local aborigines in different regions of Australia along with the abundance of native foods. The Aborigines have been eating bush tucker for thousands of years but to the rest of the world, these native bush foods as well as methods to prepare them are still a mystery.
Bush foods make excellent jams, sauces, chutneys, rubs and desserts. Nuts and seeds are used in pies, desserts and breads or flour mixes. New flavors from the Australian bush are finding their way into ice cream, beverages and as spices and herbs in savory dishes in the manufacturing industry.. Hoo Roo Foods offers gourmet retailers, food service and manufacturing industries access to native Australian bush foods through our Australian Harvest lines. We have the ability to import to our customers specifications dried and frozen formats of bush foods from the various climatic zones which they grow in across Australia. We have chosen a selection for North Americans to start with but we will be expanding to more exotic flavors and tastes from the Australian bush in the near future.
For manufacturing the following native Australian herbs, spices and fruits are a great addition to oils, tea, rubs, sauces, spice mixes, salt and pepper grinders, marinades, and cosmetics.
We prefer to import all of our bush goodies in a whole format to present the best quality for our customers. Should a customer prefer ground we can accommodate you with this upon special request.
For the retail market we have an attractive shelf ready 5 pack featuring a selection of herbs and spices that is due for release in North America this fall.
Presently Available Through Hoo Roo
Freeze Dried
Tasmanian Mountain Pepperberry – This fascinating berry is around 4 times larger than a peppercorn with a deep purple color. When dried Pepperberry keeps its shape and travels well but does not form a hard shell like a peppercorn. It has a soft almost silky consistency and can be pulled apart as needed. Pepperberry has a hot, peppery taste and bleeds a pleasant burgundy color. Pepperberry works well with sauces, soups, savory dishes, rubs and basically anywhere regular pepper is used.
Dried
Lemon Myrtle – an extremely versatile, very robust lemon flavored leaf with 300 times the citron content of a lemon. Lemon Myrtle has Eucalyptus undertones that is used as a cooking herb in savory dishes such as chicken or fish and is excellent in baked goods such as muffins, cakes and scones.
Bush Tomato (also know as the Desert Raisin) – a small wild tomato that comes from a little plant with almost silver like leaves that only grows to an average person’s knee. When dried a Bush Tomato has a similar appearance to a large raisin with caramel / tamarillo flavor and is used in sauces, dips and chutneys.
Aniseed Myrtle - Strong anise scented and flavored leaves. The leaves are often used for flavoring desserts, sweet sauces and preserves. It also is popular as a scented savory sauce or marinade for meats and sets a deep fragrant flavor to salad dressings.
Wattleseed – a dark brown seed about the size of a small pea. This bush food comes from the Acacia tree in Australia, there are hundreds of different Acacias but to date only a few are commonly used. Wattleseed has strong coffee, chocolate, nut flavors and can be made into a decaf latte or ice creams, desserts, flour mixes and sauces.
Quandong (also known as the Desert Peach) - From the Sandalwood family this tree grows fruit that are shiny red and have nutritious pulpy red flesh high in vitamin C. Quandong s flavor is a cross between peach, rhubarb and apricot and can be used in jams, pies, preserves and sauces. The oils from the nut are also used in cosmetics.
Mountain Pepperberries, Dried - This is the same pepperberry but air dried instead of freeze dried. The berry resembles a peppercorn with a dark blueish black hard outer shell. Use as you would peppercorns.
Olida - This herb comes from a type of Eucalyptus called the Strawberry Gum. It has a pleasant fruity aroma reminiscent of passion fruit and berries and helps bring out the flavor of any fruit dish. Try in poached or baked fruit desserts, mustards, dressings or even fruit cake.
Mountain Pepperleaf - This hot herb is made from the small Mountain pepper tree which grows to about 5 meters and is found in South eastern New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. The Pepperleaf has a hot taste which is followed quickly by a peppery aftertaste. Sprinkle onto meat before cooking, use in marinades, rub onto meats. This firey herb goes particularly well with potatoes and other vegetables and in salad dressings.
Frozen
Fingerlimes (also known as Rain Forest Pearl)-similar in shape to a thick finger but the real surprise is inside. When opening a Fingerlime be prepared for the beautiful caviar (or little pearls) inside in an array of colors (white, yellow, green, pink and purple). The fruit is high in sugar and has a strong but pleasant citrus punch. Perfect for plate and martini presentations, baking cheesecakes and any applications that would apply to lemons or limes.
Muntries - think of the shape of a blueberry but that’s where the similarity ends, very interesting apple spice flavors on the palate that are subtle and not over powering. Muntries can be used in a wide range of applications from meat to baking and jams or jellies.
Riberries - Around the same size as Muntries, Riberries have a beautiful bright pink colored flesh and unique flavor profile. At the front of the palate you can taste citrus followed by flavors that most people find hard to put their finger on. We have heard carrot, clove and pine but basically it’s a spicy finish. This fruit is great with wild game, baking, jams, jellies and deserts.
Hoo Roo can source around 50 bush foods including nuts, berries, fruits, herbs, seeds and spices for clients in North America. Please feel free to contact us so we can discuss your needs and recommend certain wild Australian foods which may suit you.
