(Model Task 1 response) Australian General exam, 30 July 2011

Your friend works as a publisher for a food-related magazine.  Write a letter to them describing a meal you recently had.  Tell your friend:

• What dishes were included in the meal
• Where you ate the meal
• Which dish in particular you liked the most

Dear Nik,

I trust you have been keeping well since we last spoke.  I am writing to you to share a culinary experience I had that really opened my palate to a world of new flavours.

As you know, I have recently moved to the province of Anhui in China.  Last night, my Anhui colleagues treated me to a traditional dinner.  The meal was served in a Buddhist temple sitting atop a quaint little mountain, which I found particularly charming.  In keeping with the religion, all courses were vegetarian.  Among the many dishes were sticky rice balls submerged in vegetable soup, steamed bamboo and an assortment of grilled mushrooms.  However, my favourite course by far was an aged tofu spread that is eaten with crunchy rice strips.  The spiciness of this dish really complimented the saltiness of the rest of the meal.

As I know you would also marvel at this dish, I was sure to take a jar of the spicy tofu with me.  You can thus try it when I return home!

See you in a few weeks,

Ryan