When having a chat with Matilda’s Peter Osuchowski, you’re in for a conversation peppered with Aussie slang. So it helps when trying to interpret the Matilda’s menu or talking to Peter to take a crash course in lingo from Down Under. Here are some important terms to know:

Banana Bender: A Queenslander (use with caution).

Bag of fruit: A man’s suit.

Boddy-dazzler: The greatest—as in, Matilda’s Pavlova is boddy-dazzler.

Bo-peep: To look at something. “I’d like to bo-peep the wine list, please.”

Cheese & Kisses: Slang for wife, the missus.

Chooks: Chickens—like, Kentucky Fried Chooks.

Come the raw prawn: To impose upon or deceive someone: “Don’t come the raw prawn with me, mate!”

Cossie: A swimsuit. No cossies allowed in the restaurant.

Damper: Unleavened bread baked in a campfire.

Dead horse: Sauce, particularly tomato sauce.

Fair dinkum: Genuine, the real deal. Matilda’s Lamington is fair dinkum.

Grog: Alcoholic beverage.

Grouse: Outstanding: “This grog is grouse!”

Heart starter: First alcoholic drink of the day.

Joey: A baby kangaroo.

Jumbuck: A sheep.

Loaf: Head—as in, “Use your loaf, mate!”

Lollies: Candy.

Pat Malone: Slang for “alone.” “I’m eating Pat Malone this evening.”

Tucker: Food. Fans of Matilda’s say the tucker there is grouse!

Quote of the week: One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. —Luciano Pavarotti

Send Food Matters information to teds@xmission.com. Hear Ted over the airwaves on Sound Bites, Thursdays on KSL NewsRadio 1160 AM and 102.7 FM.