Five Must-Try Kangaroo Island Delicacies
More than just fantastic landscapes and rugged beauty, South Australia’s Kangaroo Island offers a wealth of tastes and experiences that are unique to the island. From rare honey to prize-winning spirits – celebrate the bounty of nature’s harvest with these Kangaroo Island delicacies.
Ligurian Honey
Kangaroo Island is famous for its honey, and little wonder, the island is one of the oldest bee sanctuaries in the world. What makes the honey so special? It’s produced by the last living strain of Ligurian bees and the distinctive flavour of the honey is thanks to the bees foraging in native trees, with each tree giving a unique taste. Originating in Italy, they may be a long way from Europe but these bees have long called KI home – reportedly first introduced in 1881. The Islanders were so determined to keep the purity of the bees intact that it was declared a bee sanctuary in 1885 – and has remained so for well over one hundred years. The delicious honey is infused with the taste of the island and is perfect to enjoy during your stay or to take home as a gift.
Island Pure Haloumi
Have you ever tasted cheese from a sheep? You won’t be able to resist when visiting KI with its bountiful sheep population – sheep dairy is a huge and delicious industry. Higher in protein than ordinary cow’s milk, sheep milk is a wonderfully tasty alternative to traditional dairy. The sheep milk haloumi cheese from Island Pure is an iconic Kangaroo Island experience – lightly fried, the salty squeaky deliciousness is a perfect entrée on its own or fabulous with a fresh salad. Just add a crack of pepper and squeeze of citrus and make sure to enjoy with a KI drop.
Marron
These freshwater crayfish are a Kangaroo Island delicacy and live wild in the local river systems. A Western Australian native, they were introduced to KI in the 1960s as a farmable product. They’re often confused with the native South Australia yabby, though marrons grow a little bigger and are professionally farmed on the island. Not the easiest item to prepare but book an in-house cooking experience and Josh your professional chef will show you the ropes.
King George Whiting
I spent my childhood fishing off Stokes Bay for these beauties and it’s a bit of a rite of passage for many South Australian children. King George whiting have a mild, sweet flavour and are best enjoyed (I think) lightly floured and gently cooked in the pan. We can supply pre-prepared fillets (and cooking instructions) so you can find out what the big deal is.
Kangaroo Island Spirits Gin
While technically not a food, this it is the perfect drink to accompany, well, anything really! Voted as Australia’s best gin in 2016 and 2017, KIS (KI Spirits) is a firm local favourite. Visit the gorgeously rustic cellar door for a tasting and a cocktail or purchase our Cocktail Hour hamper and find out what all the hype is about – you won’t be disappointed.
To taste all these must-try KI delicacies, get in touch with me here or on +61 457 742 162 for more information about your luxury Kangaroo Island holiday – we can’t wait to share our island with you.
Love Carly xx
