Posted on 12/19/2005 5:03:41 PM PST by Shermy
THE competition to create a "sugar-coated" name to inspire people to eat kangaroo meat has a winner -"australus".
Run by the Sydney-based magazine Food Companion International, the competition attracted 2700 suggestions from 41 nations. Only entries from people working in the food industry were eligible.
Finalists included "kangarly", "maroo", "krou", "maleen", "kuja", "roujoe", "rooviande", "jurru", "ozru" and "marsu". Also submitted were "kangasaurus", "marsupan", "jumpmeat" and "MOM" (meat of marsupials).
As Greg Richardson, of Pacific Palisades in California, explained of his entry: "There is nothing more comforting than a mother. In order to make kangaroo meat sound more comforting to potential consumers, I figured we could associate one with the other: MOM."
Steven West, a US citizen, came up with "australus". Although, he is the co-ordinator of applied studies (rooms division) at the Blue Mountains Hotel School in Leura and on the verge of officially becoming an Australian. Mr West said that just as the "venison" divorced deer meat from the idea of eating Bambi, so too would "australus" divorce kangaroo meat from the idea of eating Skippy.
What the kangaroo industry dubs "Skippy syndrome" - a reluctance to eat the national symbol - has for decades held back kangaroo meat consumption by humans. This year the industry has a quota to kill 3.9 million kangaroos, mostly for pet food.
Judges of the competition included the television chef Ian Parmenter and the food writer Cherry Ripe.
The editor of Food Companion International, Mel Nathan, said "australus" sounded dignified and linked the meat with the home of the kangaroo. "The new name may be a huge breakthrough for the kangaroo meat industry," she predicted.
When the winning name was announced at a luncheon at Kingsley's Steakhouse in King Street yesterday, some of the guests said the name sounded too much like the Australis brand of fragrances.
The executive officer of the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia, John Kelly, said that while his organisation had helped sponsor the competition, it had "no really serious intention of changing the name" at this stage.
Hop.
Kujo
The "other" Red meat.
I like "Skippy."
I also loved to tell people (especially kids) that Mahi Mahi was "Flipper."
How about "Dinky Dee"? if it is good enough for mad max, it is good enough for you.
yeah but they arent really dolphins. Just dolphin fish. But man are they good.
Jumbo Jacks.
Marsupameat
Wallabeast Steaks?
No one thought "bush beef?"
My folks brought me some kangaroo jerky back from Australia. It wasn't all that great, but now I can say I ate kangaroo.
Okay ... what's the price per pound (ground) and the fat percentage?
Just a thought.
God bless our troops wherever they may be.
parakeet = budgerigar= aboriginal for "good eating"
As a kid I practically lived off Skippy.::Wait that was peanut butter and I liked the Chunky kind, still do.
Why all this problem about what to call Kangaroo meat.
McDonalds calls it a Big Mac , and you be amazed at how thin they can compress it. I bet those Roo patty's dont weigh an ounce apiece. If anyone is wondering what they are they are those little round brown things you find mixed in with the ranch salad dressing and the lettuce.
In school we were taught that when British explorers first saw the hopping marsupials, they asked of the local aborigines its name. The aborigines replied "kangaroo" which means "I don't know".
I've eaten it, and it's quite good. It's very lean, and when raw looks like flank steak. Like most very lean meats, its a little tough, so it needs to be aged well.
AB, Woomera Air Station, Australia, 1982-94.
Whoa, above! 1982-84.
I had some a year ago "Downunder". It was pretty good.
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