Australian Party Food + Sausage Rolls Recipe

Each time we throw a birthday party I find myself introducing my American friends to classic Australian party foods.

At first this was completely unintentional. Growing up in Australia, a kids' birthday party is not complete without fairy bread! But the first time I put out a platter of white bread covered in butter and sprinkles at a party here the guests were confused. And I was confused that they were confused! Ha! Isn't it funny how something can seem so completely normal to you but completely foreign to everyone else around you? I guess that's what happens when you're a foreigner!

Anyway, as time has gone by I've learned a little more about foods that are and aren't common here in America (or at least, California) and I've been trying to introduce a little more classic Australian party food to my repertoire.

At Ava's recent birthday party (which you can see here) I served up a few of my favorite Aussie classics. Along with the fairy bread I made cream horns (a must have at all of my family's parties) and sausage rolls.

Sausage rolls are regular party food in Australia. They go with the party pies! Don't know what a party pie is? I'm sure most people outside of Australia don't! Party pies are a miniature version of the classic Aussie meat pie. But more about the sausage rolls...

Happy Australia Day 2014

It's Australia Day today and what better excuse for a picnic with some of our favourite Australian foods.

The girls and I spent yesterday baking sausage rolls, Anzac biscuits, cheese and vegemite scrolls and attempting (unsuccessfully) to make lamingtons. There were plenty of other family favourites I would've loved to have also made such as pavlova, jelly slices and vanilla slices, but we already spent the whole day baking as it was. Plus I'm not really allowed to eat any of those things!

Today we headed to one of our favourite parks in Berkeley and had a little picnic with our home made Australian goodies. I picked up a few Bundaberg ginger beers on the way to round out our lunch with an Australian beverage - maybe not the best thing for me considering the high sugar content. Oh well, it's only Australia Day once a year!

Our little Australian picnic