Darebin Homemade Food & Wine Festival is a unique, annual celebration of food traditions and sustainable food philosophies that form a core belief of the culturally diverse residents in Melbourne’s inner north.
In 2016, the expanded week-long program features over 30 events in an affordable program of seminars and workshops held across the City of Darebin in community centres, private homes and local bars and cafes, creating a melding of food cultures, old and new.
The Mediterranean influence in the program remains as strong as ever – a reflection of the deep and rich Greek and Italian migrant history in the Darebin municipality.
There will be workshops in the fine art of smallgoods creation – the likes of salami, mortadella, prosciutto, capocollo and sausages. Preserving and pasta-making also capture the craft inherent in regional southern European food.
Sustainability and self-sufficiency remain a key tenet of the festival, and DIYers can sharpen their skills with workshops on organic backyard chook-keeping, how to make your vegie garden productive year round, beekeeping and vegetable preserving.
A Mediterranean style olive preserving workshop is available, powered by Darebin Fruit Squad and DIVRS. Mediterranean masters of home-grown produce Ilias Papadopoulos from Greece and Sam Ferraro from Italy will show those interested how easy it is to preserve home-grown olives in a fun and practical workshop.
If all this talk of food has given you a thirst, it will be easily quenched with workshops on mead making, home winemaking and beer brewing, as well as insights on how to create your own fermented beverages – think kombucha and kefir.
Ahead of the festival itself, local residents are encouraged to submit their homemade red wine, white wine, country wines (grain, mead, fruit), beer, tomato passata, preserved olives and ajvar into the festival’s annual competition, with winners announced at the Meet the Makers Showcase.
The showcase weekend champions the home-grown produce created in the garages and kitchens across the municipality, and features homemade wine tastings, alongside cooking demonstrations, information stalls, coffee and music.
It also provides an opportunity to meet the people who make the City of Darebin a delightful food adventure playground.
Apart from cooking demonstrations, the Meet the Makers Showcase will also feature homemade wine tasting and an opportunity to meet fabulous local homemade wine makers.
Ian Minnis, a Greek Australian who makes red wine with a group of friends, has been participating in the Meet The Makers competition since the festival started.
He has placed second on a few occasions and is aiming for the win this year.
Meanwhile, for those who wish to learn how to make the perfect spanakopita, attending Nick Katsakis’ workshop is a must.
The renowned baker from Melissa’s Cakes (Thornbury/Heidelberg) was the first to serve Melburnians his mum’s version of spanakopita when he set up his first store in 1967.
He has been serving a delectable range of authentic Greek cakes, pastries and biscuits to Melbourne neighbourhoods for more than 45 years.
Head pâtissier Many will demonstrate how to stretch your own filo pastry and talk you through their signature savoury recipe for the staple Greek pie.
The spanakopita workshop’s duration is 30 minutes and begins at 2.30 pm. No bookings are required and no fee applies.
In contrast to its strong Mediterranean influences, Darebin’s newer migrant history forms an emerging part of the program. Sessions in Tibetan momomaking, West African agushi flo, which is a vegetarian stew, and authentic Tamil cuisine will expose participants to lesser-known dishes and ingredients.
Finally, Julius Bright Sackey, a Darebin artist, will present ‘Dining Room Tales’, a performance piece inspired by his home countries of Ghana and Australia, featuring dance, music and visual art through his connection to people and food. It promises to be a feast for the soul and the senses.
The awards ceremony for homemade wine, beer, passata, avjar or olives entered into the Darebin Homemade Food & Wine competition will take place at 3.30 pm.
When: Saturday 14 May, 1.00 pm-4.00 pm
Where: Preston City & Shire Halls, 284 & 286 Gower Street, Preston, VIC.
For more information and ticketing details, visit www.darebinarts.com.au/foodandwine