Some of the imported goods.

Dried broad beans to make bigilla, rice paper to line biskuttini baking trays and orange blossom water to give coffee a Maltese twist are just a few items that Joyce Vanderboot sells Down Under to keep Maltese traditions alive.

She also offers kunserva, ftira, ruġġata and almond syrup to make a refreshing drink “just like in Malta”.

Maltese Foods is an outlet in Brisbane, which also trades online at www.maltesefoods.com.au.

“I decided to open my Maltese Foods store in Brisbane in 2011 because it is very difficult to get Maltese food here in Queensland. Distances in Australia are very large. For instance, Sydney – where I grew up and where Maltese food can be readily found – is about a 12-hour drive away.

“I missed our traditional foods and thought it was ridiculous that you could not find Maltese food here,” Ms Vanderboot, 57, told Times of Malta.

Ms Vanderboot, née Scicluna, was the eldest of three children born to Tony and Margaret, from Ħamrun and Marsa, who arrived in Sydney by ship in 1956.

Joyce and her husband Alex.

After marrying her Dutch husband, Alex, the couple settled in Brisbane 20 years ago. A member of the Maltese Association of Queensland (Brisbane) and the Maltese Australian Gold Coast Association, she has made it her mission “to help fellow Maltesers in Brisbane achieve their goal of finding Maltese food, so they can enjoy our traditional tastes... and I can feel happy seeing smiles on their faces”.

Ms Vanderboot runs the business from home where customers can see the food products on display. They can also order online or get in touch through the Facebook page Maltesefoods. The products are either delivered by mail or personally by Ms Vanderboot.

It’s my mission to help fellow Maltesers in Brisbane achieve their goal of finding Maltese food

It was hard to pick a favourite item but everyone loved pastizzi, ravioli, qagħaq tal-għasel, biskuttini tal-lewż and imqaret.

“My husband enjoys ġbejniet and galletti and my favourite biscuits are the sesame qagħaq and the kannoli shells that I like to try out new fillings for,” she said.

“The ravioli are always a quick and easy meal to prepare for family and friends.It’s not just the Maltese who love our food but there are many who have been to Malta on holiday or have a Maltese relative or friend. They love our pastizzi and Kinnie.”

Customers always tell her “my mother used to make this” or “I remember my nanna making that”.

Ms Vanderboot’s mother also used to make baked rice or pasta, meat stew, stuffed aubergines, minestra and brodu tat-tiġieġa.

“I remember our father used to buy pastizzi still hot from the oven from the local pastizzi shop, which is still open today.”

When Ms Vanderboot contacted the Maltese associations in Brisbane, she realised there were many people who could not find traditional food products.

She does not have the time or means to cook the dishes herself, so most of her products come from Maltese suppliers and producers in Sydney or Melbourne or directly from Malta.

Managing freight costs can be challenging due to the distance involved and bulk orders but she tries to keep her prices down.