Federal Election 2019: Democracy sausage verdict
NewsLocal reporters have searched high and low for the perfect democracy sausage at today’s voting stalls for the Federal Election. Here are their verdicts.
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NewsLocal reporters have searched high and low for the perfect democracy sausage at today’s voting stalls for the Federal Election. Here are their verdicts:
Heath Parkes-Hupton
Nestled a stone’s throw from Sydney’s hipster capital Newtown, Darlington Public School’s version of democracy sausages covers meat and vegan “hotdogs”.
Reporter Heath Parkes-Hupton took on the beef. Here’s his rating:
Flavour: the sausage, supplied by The Free Range Butcher, had a classic taste that was welcomed at 8.30am. Sadly the meat itself was a bit thin, which would be the overall downfall of this roll - 7/10
Bread: the sausage was served on a standard bakery-style long white bread roll. The bread was firm, probably a little too firm. Both I and my taste testing colleague decided the dish was “too bready” - 6/10
Onions: there was a healthy slather of onions laid onto the roll, side by side with the snag. I thought that was a nice touch in a world where it’s all about whether sausages should be on top of or beneath the sausage. Typically unconventional - 7/10 (I don’t really like onions)
Condiments: there was a fine selection of self serve sauces including bbq, tomato sauce and ketchup and some mustard. Very good - 9/10
Overall: it was a fine way to start my morning, but overall the “hotdog” was a tad disappointing at the hefty price of $5. Getting a good bite of the sausage was like finding a needle in the haystack that was the “top bready” bread roll. Maybe go for the bacon and egg roll - 7/10
Maroubra Junction Public School have cooked up a storm for Election
Day. I ate my second sausage sandwich of the day, and it was by far
the best.
Flavour: the sausage was cooked to that sweet spot where it’s a little
bit smoky and it shone through - 8/10
Bread: the roll had a distinct Woolworths soft roll dozen feel to it,
which I am not against at all. Very soft and a good ratio of bread to
fillings - 8/10
Onions: thick cut onions are a bold choice and they might have been a
little bit underdone. But it worked - 7/10
Condiments: standard self serve tomato and bbq sauce options. Can’t
go wrong -7/10
Overall: very enjoyable sausage sanga, big fan of the bread roll and
the well cooked snag. At $3 it’s an absolute steal - 8/10
Cake stall: brownies, fudge, cupcakes and cookies. I tried a small
vanilla cupcake with a lollie sprinkle. $2, very nice - 10
Kate Christian
North Strathfield Public School in the electorate of Reid passed the sausage taste test with flying colours, serving up sausage rolls and bacon and egg sandwiches which hit the spot for those wanting to get voting out the way early. Parents cooked up a storm and achieved an overall score of 45/50 with another 10 bonus points for a stellar cake stall.
P&C fundraising manager Michelle Fabri said they sourced 40kg of sausages from the Primo Factory in Chullora, 14kg of bacon, 180 eggs and 30kg of onion.
Sausage flavour: The beef sausages were served sizzling hot straight off the barbecue and had me salivating for more after the first bite.
Italian pork sausages to become available later in the day. Vegetarian option available. Score: 9
Bread type: Sourced from local Concord baker TT Bread and baked fresh this morning. Score: 10
Onions: There was no hesitation - onions must go on top of the sausage
and must be plentiful and caramelised. Score: 8
Condiments: there’s no need to get fancy when all you need is the top three condiments:
tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and mustard. I doused my snag in tomato sauce and mustard. Score: 9
Overall satisfaction: 9
10 Bonus points awarded to the people who stayed up all night to deliver a delectable cake stall which included delicious artisan cupcakes which melted in my mouth. There was also rocky road fudge, brownies, honey joys, carrot cake and more.
Anton Rose
At Paddington Public School, in Wentworth, you won’t find sausages.
What there is however, is a ripper Turkish golzeme.
This bad boy will give any snag a run for its money.
No condiments needed, just a wedge of lemon to squeeze and you’re good to go.
Flavour - 10
Bread - 9
Onions? Who beds onions when you have spiced mince - 9
Condiments (lemon) -6
Satisfaction - 13/10
Andrea McCullagh
If it’s good enough for Premier Gladys Berejiklian, it’s good enough for the hungry Mosman Daily team.
Ms Berejiklian bought a democracy sausage from the team of volunteers at Willoughby Public School this. And we did a taste test to see where they ranked among sausage sizzles in the city.
With a gluten free bread option available the team was winning before they even heated up the BBQ this morning.
The democracy sausage was just $3 and it was a regular but tasty pork sausage. Crispy on the outside but not overcooked.
The bake sale was the most impressive part of the spread as the parents and children created beautiful cupcakes.
Get there quick this morning to stock up on cakes before they sell out.
Sausage flavour: A tasty 4/5
Bread type: regular and gluten free option. Definitely bonus points so 7/5 for this
Onions: Not an onion fan but they looked plentiful so 4/5
Condiments: Regular selection gets a 3/5
Overall sausage sandwich satisfaction: 4/5
Bake sale: We were very impressed by the bake sale. It gets 10/5 for a huge effort by the kids
Willoughby Public School scores an impressive 32/30
Eliza Barr
The St George Shire Standard gives the Bunnings-style beef sausage an
8/10 for reliability and traditionalism.
Normal white bread with nomarge gets a 6/10 - the bread to snag ratio could be more balanced.
Plenty of barbecued onions lift the flavour - 9/10 for savoury
goodness.
All three sauces on offer - barbecue, tomato and mustard -
9/10 for hitting the basics, one point off for not surprising us with
taramasalata, or beetroot hummus (we don’t know either).
Bonus points for baked goods.
Total: 37/50
Madeline Crittenden
Illaroo Road Public School
1. Flavour: classic Aussie beef 9/10, cooked to perfection. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside.
2. Bread: white, no butter. As it should be. 10/10.
3. Onions: choice of top or bottom. I chose above the sausage, and they were caramelised and deish. 8/10.
4. Condiments: tomato and barbecue sauce both on offer. Some people were even mixing the two. Points deducted as there was no American mustard. 7/10.
Overall satisfaction- after busting several polling booths and being disappointed by the fact there were no sausage sizzles I was so glad to finally arrive at Illaroo Road. The sausage Sanga was extremely satisfying and the cooks were super friendly and funny. 10/10.
Total: 44/50
Steven Deare
Grayndler electorate
1. I’ve ordered what I’m told is the gourmet specialty sausage with bacon, egg and onion. Simon Gillson, who is working the barbecue with fellow volunteers, tells me these are 100% Australian beef. They taste like it too. 8
2. My gourmet package comes in an ice white round bun. It easily contains all the food and is perfectly practical. 8
3. I had ample onions with my lot and the cooks, to their credit, did not go overboard. 7
4. Plenty of condiments to choose from. Barbecue sauce, tomato sauce and a variety of mustards. 10
5. Simon Gillson on the barbecue tells me he and his fellow volunteers actually collaborated with Gordon Ramsay for this barbecue. Cliff Philipiah, who is serving onions and eggs, says they’ve actually got Mr Ramsay locked up in the kitchen. But don’t tell anyone. It’s this jovial atmosphere that further boosts my eating enjoyment. 9
Julie Cross
The Lions were running a sausage sizzle at Manly Village Public polling booth.
1. Sausage flavour (e.g. pork v beef v gourmet flavours like lamb, mint and haloumi or even vegan) I asked the chef, he didn’t know. So, guessing it was pork, either way, it was tasty.
2. Bread type (e.g. plain white v a bun v hipster sourdough etc...) classic sliced white 10/10
3. Onions (are there enough? Do they go on top or below the sausage?) yes, below 10/10
4. Condiments (tomato sauce v BBQ sauce v mustard etc...) non-decsript tom sauce, as you would expect, but hit the mark, along with American mustard 10/10
5. Overall sausage sandwich satisfaction 10/10
*** Bonus points: was there a bake sale at the polling booth to wash it down with? nope, but it was too early for cake
Jim O’Rourke
Thin beef sausages were the most popular at Narraweena public school. But voters could combine the Humble snag with fried egg and bacon, as well as fried onion.
Crusty white rolls were on offer. No boring white sliced loaf here.
Three types of sources are available – tomato, BBQ and American mustard. Tomato sauce was the best option.
Satisfaction rating, 8 out of 10. The pure beef sausage combined with the crispy white roll and the perfectly fried onions were hit. Desert was available with a wide variety of baked goods including cupcakes and cookies provided by the P&C committee members.
Ben James
1: Unsure of what the sausage was made up of (which is probably a good
thing). I think there could have been some cow or pig in there but
can’t be sure. Suitably fatty. 6/10
2 Opted for plain white bread with that almost sweet long life taste.
Offsets the salty notes of the sausage nicely. 8/10
3. Great quantity of onions, can’t fault that. However they could have
done with a little bit more love and a few minutes extra on the bbq.
Nobody needs that much crunch in an onion. 6/10
4. Tomato and barbecue sauce both on offer. However there was no mustard. Many will say it has no place in a democracy sausage but that should be my choice. 4/10
5. Overall a decent effort. Nothing fancy and the sweet/salty mix of the bread and sausage meat is a winner. However let down by too much onion crunch and a lack of mustard. After all, this is a democracy and I want to be able to make my own choices (about which sauce want). 7/10
Bonus points:
Seven bonus points for a bake sale.
36 points total
Jake McCallum
Kellyville Public Parents and Citizens president Stan and his merry team of volunteers have been sizzling the very best sausages in The Hills since 6am this Election Day.
And to celebrate, the Hills Shire Times is judging what is on offer to help you decide where you will pick up your democracy sausage - oh, and vote.
Sausage flavour: 7/10 beef sausage
Bread type: plain white 5/10
Onions: on top of the bread (where they should be) so a solid 9/10
Condiments: Tomato sauce andv BBQ sauce available (what more could you ask for?) 10/10
Overall sausage sandwich satisfaction: 8/10
Bonus points: Yes, there was a bake sale at the polling booth to wash it all down with!
Joanne Vella
Ray Houghton is cooking up a storm at Pendle Hill Baptist Church polling booth where Greenway and Parramatta constituents can snag a no-frills but delicious sausage sanga.
Bread type: White sliced bread. Nothing fancy but fresh. 4/5
Onions: You get a sprinkling of onions atop your beef sausage. Well cooked. 3/5
Condiments: Choose from barbecue, tomato or mustard. Squirt your own and douse your sandwich as much as you like. 4/5
Overall sausage sandwich satisfaction. Simple but delicious. 4/5
Also, was there a bake sale at the polling booth to wash it down with? No
Overall score: 43 out of 50
Greenway: Metella Rd Public School, Toongabbie
They are serving up IGA Barbecue sausages from the Toongabbie store with IGA sliced bread and bakery rolls for the bacon and egg rolls.
They have tomato sauce, barbecue, mustard and chilli sauces available.
Option to have onions on top or bottom of sausage.
Water and soft drinks also available.
Cindy Ngo
Where: Holsworthy High School
Electorate: Hughes
Categories:
Sausage flavour:
The sausages were of the beef variety - who doesn’t like a traditional beef sausage sizzle? The bangers were cooked well and remained nice and moist. 9/10
Bread type:
The sausage was served, to my immense relief, with a bread roll. It was crusty and full of of body. Best of all, it was sourced from a local bakery. 10/10
Onions:
Onions were served on top of the sausage - just the way it should be. Had a lovely charred flavour. Kudos to the cook! 9/10
Condiments:
More variety than expected. I chose the tomato sauce with no added sugar after discovering it was on offer. 9/10
Overall sausage sandwich satisfaction:
Met all my expectations for a democracy sausage - the sausage wasn’t dry, the bread roll was fresh and provided plenty of texture. Overall, a fantastic effort by all involved. 9/10
BONUS POINTS for the bake sale - there were cupcakes, brownies, cookies, the lot. Bonus three points
TOTAL: 49/50
Tony Ibrahim
A sausage on a roll is going for $2.50 at Smithfield Public School. Parents and citizens members are serving hearty sausages from Pendle Hill Meat Market on a bakery-baked roll.
They came with a handful of onions and condiments are aplenty, spread almost in decoration on the table’s stall.
But sausages aren’t all that’s on sale. There’s bacon and egg rolls going for $4, each with two eggs cooked on the grill and a whole heap of bacon. The stall plans on selling them until they shut shop at 2pm.
Grab a can of soft drink for $1.50 to wash it down.
Kate Lockley
Chifley voter Adam at William Dean Public School in Dean Park.
Sausage flavour: Beef. It’s a good beef flavour. 6/10
Bread: cheap plain Woolies brand sliced bread. Could be a nice crunchy roll. 5/10
Onion: They do the job. I would give them a pass. 5/10
Tomato sauce: It’s a staple, it’s a normal brand. We know what to expect. 8/10
Overall sausage satisfaction: 6/10
Washing it all down with lemonade.
Overall 30/50
Matt Taylor
Ryde Public School, in the electorate of Bennelong.
Rating: 8/10
Why? Sausage was a perfect temperature for whoofing down. The bread was fresh but it could have done with a slice on top. But just the right amount of onion and not too much tomato sauce where it would running down your hands. Well worth the three bucks!
Daniel McGookin
Self-described as home of the best democracy sausage sizzle in Australia, Camden Public School pulled some punches in its traditional sausage sanga execution.
No frills are needed for this beauty, a long, thin beef sausage surrounded by a dense white hotdog roll and topped with a healthy serving of slippery onion.
Despite not being as well resourced as other barbeques in Camden (an honourable mention to Camden South Public School), the no-fuss sausage sizzle was a fair dinkum winner.
Ten out of ten points in the sausage flavour stakes and ten out ten with the use of a roll.
One point taken away for the slightly uneven onion coverage, ten out of ten points for providing tomato sauce (and a bonus point for allowing you to control the squirt), this was a sausage sizzle of dreams.
I declare 50 points out of 50, the ultimate polling station sausage sizzle.
Daniel Stringer
Samuel Terry Public School- Lindsay
Flavour 6/10 only beef was on offer, but it was a good tasting sausage.
Bread type 6/10: only plain white wonder white bread was available.
Onions 7/10: there were plenty of onions to give the sausage a boost.
Condiments 7/10: people could choose from classic tomato sauce or mustard.
Taste of sausage 7/10: the sausage was cut in half and made it easier to eat the sandwich. The sausage was also from a butcher, so it was on the gourmet side
Overall rating: 33
Richard Noone
Panic swept early voters in the seat of Dobell this morning where the usually in form sausage sizzle at Killarney Vale Public School was nowhere to be seen.
Usually brimming with baked goods, treats, lolly bags and other goodies – backed by a blistering hotplate churning out fried democracy delicacies – the sausage sizzle hadn’t been set up by the time the polling booth opened.
Voters standing in line expressed their shock.
“I can’t believe it,” one man was heard talking to his son.
“That’s why we came early, I thought I could feed you before footy.”
But panic gave way to wide smiles at nearby Brooke Avenue Public School where the gas burners had been firing well before the booth opened at 8am.
In fact the only thing frostier than the ice-cold drinks was incumbent Dobell Labor MP Emma McBride who gave the Express Advocate the cold shoulder when approached for a word.
“My media person is over there,” Ms McBride said dismissively.
“Just talk to Jackie.”
Thankfully the sandwiches were generous and inviting with two butterflied, processed beef sausages nestled under a pile of caramelised onions between two slices of white bread.
The generosity of the onions and two cut-in-half sausages was also the sandwich’s undoing when half way through, a rouge banger slipped out bringing with it some onion and sauce down the shirt front. But overall a winner.
1. Flavour: processed beef. Score 8/10
2. Bread: white, fresh. 8/10
3. Onions: on top, caramalised, thick cut and generous heaping. Score 10/10
4. Condiments: choice of barbecue, tomato and American mustard. Masterfoods brand (a local manufacturer). Large clean and multiple bottles. 9/10
5. Overall satisfaction: 9/10
Total: 44/50
Jessica Clement
Ettalong Public School
1. Beef snags
2. White buns
3. Plentiful of onions beneath sausage
4. Tomato and barbecue sauce available
5. 10 points for satisfaction. Crisp sausage skin, sweet onions. Traditional democracy sausage perfection. Bonus points for well-stocked bake sale and more bonus points for Bacon & Egg roll options.
This is a full mark democracy sausage stall. Do not miss.
Cathy Stubbs
Erina High School junior leadership team stall.
1. Sausage flavour: Beef 7
2. Bread type: Plain White, two slices 7
3. Onions: Generous serve, succulent, cooked perfectly, traditional top sausage style. 8
4. Condiments: Choice of Tomato, BBQ, and mustard. Traditional tomato chosen as is fitting for election day. 7
5. Overall sausage sandwich satisfaction: It was only 9am so possibly a faction early to be scoffing a sausage sanga - but hey - it’s election day. 7
6. Bonus points: Also had fresh bacon and egg rolls for the delicate souls who could not manage a sausage with sauce at 9am. Thinking ahead - 4 points.
Scouts and Girl Guides stall at Point Clare (seat of Robertson)
1. Sausage flavour: Beef, perfectly barbecued 7
2. Bread type: Plain White, 2 slices 7
3. Onions: Generous serve traditional top sausage style. 8
4. Condiments: Tomato of course - don’t be ridiculous - as if there is any other kind. 6
5. Overall sausage sandwich satisfaction: Who can refuse a cute scout offering food. 8
6. Bonus points: Succulent cake and biccie stall by the Point Clare Junior Guides - too good. 10 points
Total: 46
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