Indoctrination with Aussie Junk Food

Hi everyone!

I can’t wait to tell you all about the new noms I had this afternoon, but first I want to cover how trying all these things came to be.

Today I spent the day down at Alcohol and Drug Services, which houses an inpatient detox unit, as well as an interdisciplinary team and dispensing pharmacy for outpatient addictions services. My understanding is that people can either be referred or can self-refer to the detox unit, for substance use disorder associated with any substance (ie, alcohol, cannabinoids, opioids, etc). If they are going to be managed with pharmacotherapy following discharge, they may then come the outpatient dispensing pharmacy for that therapy until they are more stable in their journey, after which they will continue at a community pharmacy.

This was more comprehensive than what we currently have available in most areas of NL as anticipated, as patients continue to have access to a case manager and a full interdisciplinary team while they are under the care of the outpatient pharmacy, so in principle this makes the process towards getting well more holistic. Hopefully once the new centre opens up down in Harbour Grace, we may begin to see more of this holistic-type model home in NL.

During the course of the morning, one of my preceptors for today asked what Aussie goodies I had tried yet. So far, it had pretty much only been TimTams (these chocolate covered wafer cookies which were delicious) and these sad little “Turkish Delight” Easter Eggs (which were runny in the middle, and therefore not remotely like a Big Turk Bar. False advertising there Cadbury!). So she quickly decided that we had to have a tasting party this afternoon so I could be “indoctrinated with Australian junk food”. Yay! Over lunch we darted off to KMart, and went a little crazy…

We picked up:

First course- Salty snacks

Shapes- The rectangular crackers= Goldfish in the form of a cracker, these were really good! 4/5

Twisties- The cheezie shapes= Almost like the nacho Cheetos, except ligher. These were pretty okay! 3/5

Cheezels- Not on the plate. Loop shaped Cheezies. A little crunchier than the puffy Cheetos, but as cheesy as a Hawkins cheezie. OMG. I think I may be bringing some of these back to Canada. So good. 5/5

Crisps- Chips= Somehow thinner than chips in Canada. Also all dressed is not a flavour here. 4/5

Second course- Vegemite on toast.

I really don’t know how to describe this. Everyone kept saying its so savoury, but I really just thought it was salty, and definitely yeasty. It wasn’t awful, but its definitely not something I would ever eat again! Australian right of passage- check! See the background of the photo below. Yeah, its that brown stuff on toast. Not the most visually appealing spread for sure. On the bright side, I think its better than having to kiss a cod. 1/5

Third course- Sweets! (Back to the good stuff)

Vanilla Slice- You all need Vanilla Slice in your life right now. Its pastry, with a solid custard, then more pastry, and then vanilla icing on top. And it is amazing. Go make it. And love it. ASAP. 5/5

Red Skins= soft raspberry taffies. 3/5

Violet Crumble= Crunchie bar meets Malteasers. YUM. 5/5.

Koala Caramilk- Not pictured, but a Caramilk bar shaped like a koala. The koala adds adorableness, and is therefore more awesome than a regular Caramilk bar. 5/5

Needless to say, after all this food, I felt ready to roll home after work today. I am almost looking forward to the walk in tomorrow! It was really fun to get to try so many new things though, and learn what all the popular snacks are here. I certainly have a few new favourites to enjoy in the coming weeks with my morning tea break. Thank you again to all my great preceptors today for making my experience extra memorable!