I hate beets (or, as I have learned to call them, beetroot). They taste like dirt and something even more foul mixed in. They are on the list (along with brussels sprouts and various other foods I can’t think of right now) of The Most Revolting Things Western Society Will Eat.So, you can imagine my utter revulsion when I came to Australia to find that these people put beetroot in EVERYTHING! I am not kidding. They put it in salads, on sandwiches, on BURGERS ffs! I shit you not.
I’ll never forget the first time I ordered a “burger with the lot.” We were in Kalgoorlie visiting my (then future) father in law. I thought that “burger with the lot” was just a charming Australian way of describing a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and pickles (you know, the *normal* burger fixings). Oh, was I wrong. So, so wrong. The waitress plunked a ginormous burger with all the fixings (though no pickles … I’ll blog about atrocious Australian pickles later) plus beetroot and (get this!) a fried egg! It’s not bad enough that they put beetroot on a perfectly good burger but a fried egg as well? What are they thinking??!?!
So, I’m curious about Oh-My-God-Do-They-Really-Eat-That moments you all have had. Share!
OMG.. a burger without beetroot is no burger at all my friend!
Did they put pineapple in it too?
Bah. Says the vegan. Like you can talk about burgers.
Bahaha.. well yes, you have a good point!
Well, the fried egg is keeping the bacon company…not sure how the pineapple justifies itself though. The really fun bit is that first bite, will it or will it not disintegrate all over your lap?!
Hmmm, I think I may have just decided what tomorrow’s dinner will be!
My most recent OMGDTRET moment has to be my son’s vegemite and fruit of the forest jam toast (no margarine/butter). It’s very distressing to witness first thing in the morning
Oh mimbles, that sounds great! I’m a huge fan of vegemite with thinly sliced apple on a sandwich.. sweet, savory, crunchy, so much yum all in one bite!
I hate beetroot, too. I always ask for my sandwiches/burgers/salad without it, and if it sneaks its disgusting stain-everything-with-red-dirt-blood way in, I take it out right away. I also hate pickles and they get removed too. And anchovies. Despise anchovies.
Fried egg in burgers, on the other hand, is delicious. As long as the yolk is hard. I do *not* get runny-egg-yolk-eatin’-folk. I mean, warm runny chicken ovulation? Mmmmn, yum! (NOT!) At least cook the fucker properly, y’know? It’s the only way I can stomach it without thinking about what I’m eating.
You’re so right about beetroot. The biggest flaw in Australian food isn’t the pineapple, beetroot or vegemite in inappropriate places (vegemite is inappropriate anywhere really), it’s the lack of peanut butter cups!
As a kid at McDonalds I thought taking the pickle off at the start was part of the ritual of eating cheeseburgers there. It was only later when I went to the US I realised people ate those things. Ewwww…
[...] First World country, culture shock is subtle and often food related. I’ve already blogged about the Australian obsession with beetroot and my reaction to it. Now let’s talk about [...]
Just came across your blog today. Kareena, you are my hero! I’ve made quite a few Australian friends over the past few years. I was shocked when I visited Australia last year and got a burger from Hungry Jack that had beetroot on it.
For a country that has a shortened. slang version of nearly every damn word in the dictionary–why beetroot and not just BEET?!
‘Cause they like to confuse Americans.
[...] Aussies really love beetroots? Yes. Check out this link, this link and this link to see the [...]