5 Fabulous Aussie Food Festivals

www.foodwinetravel.com.au One of the signature events of Good Food Month, the Night Noodle Markets are a wonderful expression of what is so great about our Australian lifestyle – the fact that we’ve readily embraced an incredible diversity of Asian cuisines, and that our climate lends itself to alfresco eating, Night Noodle Markets, Brisbane Good Food Month, Tanqueray gin, Mamak, Longrain, yakitori, ramen, Vietnamese pho, banh mi, rice-paper rolls, curries, freshly made roti, noodles, Passion Tree, Serendipity Ice Cream, Yalumba, UQ Japanese Taiko drumming team, New Shanghai, Sake Restaurant, Shinichi Maeda.

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

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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 & Capital Region Truffle Festival

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

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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

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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

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