Fairy Bread

January 26: Australia Day

G’day, mates! We asked our friend, Girlie, who grew up in Sydney, and whom we met while living in New Jersey, for a simple sandwich recipe to celebrate Australia Day (which also happens to be her wedding anniversary). She suggested vegemite sandwich and Fairy Bread. We have tried the yeasty spread before and it is a taste that we have not quite acquired. So we opted for the colorfully sprinkled, sweet and crunchy open-faced sandwich instead. Fairy Bread is fun food at kid’s birthday parties Down Under but can still be a festive feature on the menu for anyone celebrating Australia Day around the world.

Recipe

Ingredients

• Slice of white bread
• Butter or margarine
• Colorful nonpareils (also known as “hundreds and thousands” in Australia; we used the Wilton brand)

Directions
Spread softened butter or margarine on one side of the bread. Sprinkle with nonpareils. Or put the sprinkles on a plate and press the bread, buttered side down, onto them.  Slice diagonally (optional: cut off the crusts).

Notes

• Robert Louis Stevenson wrote a poem specifically for children entitled “Fairy Bread,” which may have been the inspiration for the popular Aussie snack.
• Cookie cutters can be used for unique Fairy Bread shapes. Nutella instead of butter is another variation for the spread. Some also use wheat bread or white toast.
• Happy Australia Day and anniversary to Girlie and Gary from your friends at HI Cookery!