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Good Food Month
If you thought last year’s Brisbane Times Good Food Month was great, you’ll love this year’s festival, in Brisbane from July 9 to August 9, which has expanded to a whopping 200+ events. Rub shoulders with culinary greats such as Ben Shewry (Attica, Melbourne), James Viles (Biota Dining, Bowral) and Mark Best (Marque, Sydney), enjoy Let’s Do Lunch and Hats Off Dinners, and chow down at the Night Noodle Markets. The fun continues with The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Month in Sydney from October 1 to 31 and The Age Good Food Month in Melbourne from November 1 to 30. www.goodfoodmonth.com
Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month
This month-long extravaganza is already under way with more than 60 events throughout June, across about 40 different Hunter Valley venues. Wine and dine with leading winemakers and chefs, take part in interactive classes to fine-tune your culinary skills, or curl up beside an open fire with a glass of wine and a cheese plate. Not to be missed events include the Olive Long Table Luncheon at Whispering Brook (pictured), The Original 100 Metre Meal at Margan Restaurant & Winery, and the Dine with the Dynamic Duo lunch at Muse Restaurant, written up in a recent post. www.winecountry.com.au
Canberra and Capital Region Truffle Festival
There has to be a good reason to visit Canberra in winter and this is one. The region is amazingly well suited to growing truffles, the elusive fungi that commands extraordinary prices in fine dining restaurants around the world. Canberra is fast becoming the truffle capital of Australia and its winter truffle festival is going from strength to strength. This year’s festival, from June 19 to early August, will see more than 50 restaurants, providores and markets once again teaming up with growers to showcase the fresh black Perigord truffle in all its glory. Join a truffle hunt, attend a cooking class or dinner, and learn about matching wine to truffles. www.restaurantaustralia.com
Sunshine Coast Real Food Festival
Leading Australian chef Christine Manfield (above) was hugely inspirational to festival goers at last year’s Sunshine Coast Real Food Festival, so much so that she’ll be returning to present more of her dishes and insights at this year’s festival, to be held at the Maleny Showgrounds on the weekend of September 12-13. With a focus on sustainable food production, the festival features the Real Food Kitchen, Food for Thought, Nourishing Ideas, Food Craft, Kitchen Garden and Little Sprouts. A new venue this year is Eat My Words, with a focus on food writing, food bloggers, cookbook authors and restaurant reviewers. www.realfoodfestivals.com.au
Tastings on Hastings, Port Macquarie
The biggest day on Port Macquarie’s culinary calendar is Tastings on Hastings, to be held this year from November 6 to 8. Experience the passion and creativity of the region’s farmers, vignerons, brewers, entertainers and artists in a wonderful celebration of the journey from paddock to plate. The region’s bounty will be showcased in precincts such as farmers markets, restaurant precinct, main stage, beer and wine precinct, cooking demonstrations and makers market. Port Macquarie is a 4-hour drive north of Sydney or a 7-hour drive south of Brisbane, and there are regular flights. www.tastingsonhastings.com.au
Hope you come back for the truffle festival!
I’d love to! We’ll see 🙂
The truffle festival is shaping up to be a cracker… especially now that the southern highlands region is included too! Love the sound of the Tastings on Hastings too!
Like Lizzy said, truffle season is off to a super start, the restaurant at my work is already booked out for all of June. #BOOM
The Olive Long Table Luncheon sounds amazing, will be adding that to the ‘must do’ list. 🙂
That’s wonderful that the truffles are such a success for you, Anna. And yes, I can highly recommend the Olive Long Table lunch.
I’m presenting this year at the Real Food Festival on food writing. This is my favourite festival because it’s mostly all local producers and it really focuses on families. I would love the truffle festival!
That’s fantastic, Maureen. I wish I could be there to hear you talk but I think we’re probably going to be away. What a pity!