TL;DR: Australian native botanicals—from smoky Bunya nuts and citrusy finger limes to aromatic strawberry gum—offer extraordinary culinary depth and nutrition. At EXP. Restaurant, Chef Frank Fawkner integrates these indigenous ingredients into refined, seasonal dishes, spotlighting authentic regional flavours across our Pokolbin menus.
Australia is home to many plants that provide tasty and nutritious ingredients for cooking. These include a variety of nuts and vegetables that add a unique and tasty flavour to food. They are important ingredients for a growing number of chefs who use them in signature dishes that delight their many customers.
Australian Produce Used in Cooking
Native Australian food sources include the following:
- Bunya Nuts have grown for many centuries on the Bunya Pine, enclosed in a pinecone that falls to the ground when ripe. The cones can weigh up to ten kilograms and the nuts they contain can be eaten raw or cooked. The nuts are comprised of 40% water, 40% complex carbohydrates and 11% protein, so they are packed with nutrition. They have a dry, crunchy texture when raw but become softer and more waxy when cooked. They work well in savoury and sweet applications while traditional cooking on hot coals gives a roasted, smoky flavour.
- Wattleseed is available in hundreds of varieties although only a small number are edible. Today, wattleseed is farmed and used in a variety of sweet and savoury recipes — typically in ice cream, cakes, curries and casseroles. After harvesting, wattleseed is usually roasted and has a nutty or smoky flavour. It is used in a number of culinary applications, including rubbing into meat for a unique flavour.
- Strawberry Gum is a native tree whose leaves are used as a spice for cooking. Dried and ground leaves add a sweet scent to cakes and ice cream, enhance flavours in cooked fruit dishes and are used in herbal teas and to flavour cold drinks. The leaves contain high levels of essential oils and can calm stomach discomfort when burned.
- Davidson’s Plum is an ancient fruit that is highly nutritious. It is not truly a plum but has an intensely sour flavour that is combined with sweeteners and used in jams, ice cream, cold drinks and as a dehydrated powder in cooking. It is considered a ‘super food’ due to its nutritional density. It has high antioxidant capacity, is a source of vitamin C and contains trace minerals.
- Finger Lime is a thorny shrub with elongated fruit filled with small sacs containing fluid. These burst in the mouth and have a sharp taste that resembles caviar. They are highly prized as a gourmet garnish or to float in cocktails on our wine and drinks list.
- Native Pepperberry is a native shrub with purple berries and leathery green leaves. Both are prized as an aromatic culinary spice. The berries are used as a rub for meats, in gravies and sauces, and in various sweets, while dried versions are much spicier than black pepper. The leaves are edible and similar to white pepper mixed with bay leaves.
EXP. Kitchen Integration
Chef Frank Fawkner at the renowned EXP. Restaurant makes use of various native ingredients and working relationships with local producers and artisans to create a number of signature dishes. Native Pepperberry is used in place of black pepper and mixed with sea salt to season roast vegetables and meat. It’s also added to risotto and sauces for more bite.
Various desserts are infused with Strawberry Gum for added flavour while roasted Bunya Nuts are used in creams to create a chestnut flavour with hints of pine. It’s all part of the drive to constantly refine and move forward, providing new and exciting tastes across our seasonal tasting menus. Guests can experience these unique Australian botanicals firsthand from our chef’s bar and dining room in Pokolbin—simply book your table to join us.