When on November 7th, 1861 4,000 excited spectators gathered in Melbourne to watch a horse race at Flemington Racecourse, they could have had little inkling that the event would become one of the most important in Australia’s sporting (and culinary!) calendar.
The Melbourne Cup goes beyond what happens on the track and, of course, includes people getting together for delicious food and drink! In case you can’t attend the Melbourne Cup event itself, here are some ideas for a winning menu for your friends and family.
More Than a Sporting Event
The Melbourne Cup has become an annual tradition, the ‘race that stops a nation’, with worldwide coverage and interest. It’s the richest 3200m (two-mile) handicap race, with the first Tuesday of November always marked and highlighted on the calendar by enthusiasts.
Now, the Melbourne Cup isn’t just your standard Barbie (as great as those are, of course!). With the Melbourne Cup, people tend to go a little more upmarket, to reflect the long-held status of the event.
These ideas will, however, not require you to spend the day in the kitchen, nor do you have to be Gordon Ramsay, either:
Hats Off! Biscuits
Those familiar with the Melbourne Cup know it’s just as much about the race as it is about dressing up a little, much like our British cousins who go to Royal Ascot every year.
These biscuits are super easy to make, find your favourite recipe, add a little ‘cup’ at the top, and adorn them with lace sweets, and pre-bought cake decorations. Voila – classy and delicious!
Posh Sliders
Look, you don’t have to give up your Barbie classics either just because it’s the Melbourne Cup. However, instead of your standard burger and snags, why not level up and create some posh sliders?
We recommend replacing sausages with chorizo, a staple in both Spanish and Mexican cooking. It has a very slight kick (but only slight!), is something a little different to your usual, and you can combine it with exotic cheeses, too.
Oysters w/ Hollandaise
You can’t really go posh without oysters, we think. They’re also super easy to prepare. To add a little bit of originality and an extra flavour, why not consider Dan Pepperell’s popular take on the dish? Add fat hollandaise dressing to your oysters and you have something not many people have tried before.
Posh Scotch Eggs
These are great little additions to your Melbourne Cup lineup, as they have that rustic and homely vibe, but they’re also a little ‘different’. What you need to do is find a company that does them properly, as store-bought supermarket versions are usually not quite as nice.
Polenta Fries
Don’t worry, just because it’s a Melbourne Cup party, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on chips. For an alternative version that’s not your standard thick-cut potato variety, try polenta.
With instant polenta, it will be almost (!) as easy as oven chips. Instead of ketchup, use a cheese like gorgonzola, which you can blend with sour cream. For those of you who really love cheese, sprinkle some Roquefort on top.
Royal Pimm’s
Another one inspired by our British cousins, where Pimm’s is your standard Royal Ascot drink. It’s refreshing, super tasty, and the ideal summer drink.
You’ll need: Pimm’s (of course!), lemonade, and garnish as you like. Ideas for you include mint, orange, strawberries, or cucumber. Add as little or as much as you like, to taste.
Apple Mimosa Mocktail
Of course, not everyone is going to be drinking alcohol at your Melbourne Cup party. For them, go beyond the standard juices and soft drinks. Basic mocktails work very well, and they’re not that difficult to make.
The Apple Mimosa is easy because it has just 4 ingredients. You have pressed apple juice (cloudy works best!), a non-alcoholic champagne, and the secret power ingredients: caramel sauce and cinnamon sugar.
You add the caramel to the rims of the glasses and then dip in the cinnamon sugar. It’s an extra step, but worth it! The rest is easy, around 50/50 for the juice and sparkling wine.
Prawn and Lettuce Cups
We love these because they’re not only delicious, but they’re not as heavy as some of the other listed recipes. The barbie will still happen because in this recipe, the prawn is barbecued to perfection.
Pair the prawns with chopped mango and you instantly add an adventurous side. Instead of a bready underpinning, serve the prawns on lettuce leaves, which then have the double role of being mini-plates for your guests.
Australians compete for the chance to attend in person, with the $99 ticket price not a barrier to fans. For others, it’s the chance to host a famous cup party, getting everyone together to enjoy a merry time. We hope these ideas have inspired you to create the culinary highlight for your neighbourhood!
