Aussie diggers wanted mutton over this...
In 1941, here’s how The Mail in South Australia saw Italian food and, as an extension of that, Italians themselves:
Dago Tucker
Australian troops in Libya have been solving the mysteries of Italian cuisine, and making queer dishes of Parmesan cheese, spaghetti, tomato extract, and olive oil from captured enemy stores. Because of water shortage, a soldier was seen bathing in Italian mineral water. —Cable.
In Libya da Aussies still pusha ahead,
Dey play a so well in da ruck,
Dey racea da transport like fasta da ped’
So turn to da Itala tuck’.
Spa water dey usea to hava da wash,
Da soap mixa up wid da fizz,
But somea dem maka da faces, by gosh,
When come to da catering biz.
Dey try on da tummy such queera da dish,
For mum’s kinda cooking dey certainly wish.Dey gobble up yardsa da finest spaghett’,
When food in da dixie dey boil,
But people afraida dat some of dem get
Too mucha da oliva oil.
It might make ’em slippy, like Itala chaps,
If plenta da loota dey seize,
And breatha da digger it smella, perhaps,
Too mucha of Parmesan cheese,
Dey chew up da menus of Naples or Rome,
Bat rather have grub from da kitchen at home.
ANTONIO DI SEEBEE
In 2009, The Age reported the results of the BIS Shrapnel report Fast Food in Australia:
Italian was the most preferred cuisine in Victoria and South Australia. Thai food was No. 1 in NSW. For all other states and territories, Chinese was either top or equal top. Australian, English or traditional food came in fifth at 13 per cent, after Indian, Sri Lankan or Pakistani food at 17 per cent.
It did take 68 years, a World War and an immigration boom, but Australians these days, in the words of eloquent poet Antonio di Seebee, no longer “rather have grub from da kitchen at home”.
“Dago Tucker.” The Mail, 8 February, 1941, 7.
Cauchi, Stephen, “Italian fare to the fore in time of fiscal crisis.” The Age, April 26, 2009, 13.
Lamingtons & Lasagna 
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