LFC News January 26 2022

Jan 272022
 

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Cathie Nederveen, Elizabeth Hoey, Jian Liu, Judith Chivers, Kerry Bradford, Megan Goodman, Robin Gale-Baker, Rosie Brock, Sarah Mathers and Vicki Jordan.

What’s wrong with my zucchini? (by Robin Gale-Baker)

I (Robin) have always assumed that pollination is a once off event for fruit and vegetables. In other words, I’ve always assumed that a fruit has either been pollinated or it has not. But, from my research, it appears that this is not true for all fruit, including zucchini. Rather, a zucchini requires many pollinations (or pollinators) for it to develop properly. One consequence of this is that you may see both healthy and under-developed fruit on the same plant.

Here are some links to some relevant articles on the Internet. [Editor: some of these articles refer to ‘squash’. ‘Squash’ is an american term which encompasses both pumpkins and zucchini. Read our fun facts about the taxonomy of pumpkins.]

[Editor: since I saw an early draft of Robin’s article, I have been researching the topic as well. Within a typical fruit, there are many seeds and each seed needs to have been pollinated for it to develop. For most flowers, I assume that all the incipient seeds typically get pollinated by the same pollination event but it appears that this is not always the case for plants, such as zucchinis, which have separate female and male flowers. When only some of the incipient seeds within an incipient fruit have been pollinated, the result can apparently be deformed or aborted fruit. This is actually the same phenomenon that I briefly discussed last week in my words about when to harvest sweetcorn.]

Zucchinis, like pumpkins, have separate female and male flowers and are mostly pollinated by bees. Female zucchini flowers that are visited once or twice only by bees or other pollinators will start to turn yellow part way down the fruit or develop a bulbous end nearest the stem (or both). The end furthest from the stem may also begin to rot.

To complicate things, early in the season zucchini plants develop only male flowers. These are recognisable by their thin stem, while the female flower develops a ‘baby’ immature fruit (really an ovary). These early season male flowers are of no use for pollination so you might as well pick them for stuffed zucchini flower recipes.

Given the risk of no, or inadequate, pollination of your zucchinis by nature, it is good if, once female flowers begin to develop, you can offer some help by hand pollinating the female flowers with the pollen from the males.

Hand pollination is best done in the morning when the flowers are open. They generally close in the afternoon.

There are two ways of hand pollinating. First, and possibly the easiest, is to pick a male flower and pull off the petals so that the anther, which will be covered in yellow pollen, is fully exposed. Then use it as a paint brush, smearing the pollen onto the pistil of the open, female flower. The second way is to simply use a fine paint brush to transfer pollen from the male to the female.

If this is too much trouble, an alternative is to fill your garden with biodiverse plantings. Plant as many flowering plants as you can, especially ones that are attractive to bees. While other pollinators do assist, bees, which can enter quite deeply into throated flowers, are the main pollinators of zucchinis.

Finally, note that zucchini is a cultivar (cultivated variety) of the species Cucurbita pepo. This is the same species as the kumi kumi pumpkin, spaghetti squash, the big, orange, inedible fruit that Americans carve coming up to Halloween and some ornamental gourds.

[Read more of Robin’s articles on our website.]

Abbotsford and Carlton Farmers’ Markets are both becoming weekly

Abbotsford Farmers’ Market will be held every Saturday, starting from 12th February.

Carlton Farmers’ Market will be held every Sunday, starting from 13th February. Note the change from Saturdays to Sundays.

A new food swap in Reservoir

At Regent Community Garden, The Regent Centre, 4 Robinson Road, Reservoir. On the 1st Sunday of every month, 1-2pm.

The Regent Community Garden is open every Sunday, midday-3pm and everyone is welcome to go along – no previous gardening experience is necessary!

No you didn’t know (sigh)

Last week, Lucinda Flynn asked “Can tell me the location of the place where all the Italians go to buy their bulk passata tomatoes – I’ve driven past it before (Thornbury, Coburg, Brunswick areas) but can’t remember where.” No on responded but surely someone knows. Email your responses.

Do you know?

Deformed sweetcorn

Kerry Bradford: “What is happening to my sweetcorn and why (see photos)?” Editor: Kerry and I had a chat and she confirmed that the photos show a few (female) kernels growing in the (male) tassels and that this is happening on multiple plants! Email your responses

Beans not setting fruit

Vicki Jordan: “None of my beans are setting fruit – there are plenty of flowers but no beans! Does anyone know why? Full sun, plenty of bees and the pH is 6.9.” Email your responses

A recipe for fatoush (by Cathie Nederveen)

[Following Jaimie’s article last week about golden purslane, Cathie Nederveen has sent in a Syrian recipe which uses purslane.]

Ingredients

2 handfuls of purslane, torn into small pieces (use lettuce and baby spinach if you can’t find purslane)
5 tomatoes, diced
3 Lebanese cucumbers, diced
1 bunch radishes, tops removed, thinly sliced
1 bunch mint, leaves picked
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
2 flat breads, oven dried and crisped, broken up
½ pomegranate, seeds removed (optional)

The dressing
5 lemons, juiced
2 teaspoons sumac
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil

Method

Combine all the dressing ingredients, stir well, and place in the bottom of a large bowl.

Add all the salad ingredients, except the bread, and mix well with hands.

Add the thicker pieces of bread and give them 10 minutes to soak up the dressing.

Just before serving, sprinkle with the remaining smaller bits of crispy bread.

Meg’s garden this month

Clusters of passionvine hoppers (Scolypopa australis) are sheltering from the heat on the underside of the large green leaves of my paulownia tree. Maybe I should be concerned about these sap sucking insects, but they are beautiful with their soft brown, delicate lacy wings. Organic control will be done later in the season when eggs are laid.

The garden has performed well this season, but is now suffering from the heat and my intermittent hand watering. The tomatoes have only just begun to ripen (another late year), with the smaller ‘cherry’ types first. However, the sweetcorn, beans and zucchinis planted back in November have been bountiful, as have the beetroot that we pickled to eat with summer salads (see recipe below).

This month I am:
1. Erecting shade cloth when necessary.
2. Watering each evening.
3. Keeping a close eye out for fruit fly.
4. Collecting seed from dill and other herbs that have gone to seed.
5. Planting more dwarf bean seed.

Pickled beetroot

1 kg fresh beetroot
1 cup sugar
4 cups white vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
about 8 cloves
about 10 peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt

Cook the beetroot in boiling water until just soft. Run under cold water and peel then slice and pack into sterilised jars.

Add all other ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Pour over beetroot (ensuring its covered) and seal.

Keep refrigerated.

[Read more of Meg’s recipes on our website.]

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Ceramicist William Kidd creates ceramic bowls, vessels, plates, jars and sculptures with the shapes of exotic fantasy fruits and plants.

Some of our articles you might have missed over the last month

What seeds to plant in February

Here is a list (see the planting guide for more detail):

Warm season veggies

Beans
Sweetcorn

Cool season veggies

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Silverbeet

Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Onion
Potato
Radish

Other

Chives
Fennel
Leeks
Parsley

 
In principle, you can start planting some of the brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, etc) but perhaps it would be better to wait until March.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was to Jaimie’s articles on our website about various unusual, edible plants (see right sidebar)..

Word of the month – groak

‘Groak’, meaning to stare silently at someone in the hope that they give you some of their food. This is something that my dog does whenever I am either eating or in the kitchen.

Read previous words of the month.

Gardening quote of the month

“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’” by Robin Williams.

Read more gardening quotes.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

A nation of shopkeepers. Meaning: either (literally) a description of the English as a people whose power derived from commerce; or (metaphorically) a criticism of the English as a people with little ambition. The phrase originated with the Scottish economist Adam Smith in his Wealth of Nations, published in 1776, where he was using the phrase descriptively (and possibly positively) rather than metaphorically (and disparagingly). It was then reputedly used by Napoleon (who was familiar with Smith’s work) a few years later, where it may or may not have been disparaging.

Another saying sometimes attributed to Napoleon is An army marches on its stomach, meaning either (literally) that it is important for an army to be well-provisioned or (metaphorically) that you must eat properly if you want to perform tasks well.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Joke (or pun) of the week

Submitted by Rosie Brock.

Q (to a New Zealander): What’s a Hindu?
A (from the New Zealander): Lays eggs.

Read more jokes.

Covid announcement re upcoming events and activities

The usual caveats apply: some of the events below will probably be cancelled because of Covid and many of the events will be restricted to fully vaccinated people only.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Sustainability in wine making; Thursday, 10th February, 6-9pm; $27 ($9 per hour); Fitzroy.

Mark Foletta will talk about his sustainable wine making practices and how grapevines fit into the natural environment. The ticket price includes a pizza and wine.

Create your own backyard food forest; Wednesday, 23rd February, 6.40-8pm; free; online.

Jian Liu will share her journey in creating a backyard food forest, including overcoming the challenges faced by many in suburban areas of a shady yard, limited space, poor soil, and pests. Her urban backyard now has around 80 varieties of fruits, heirloom vegetables, flowers, chickens, productive fish pond, worm farms, compost bins and a greenhouse. She will share all her tips and tricks to creating your own productive, sustainable and healthy backyard food forest.

Waste in the wine industry; Thursday, 24th February, 6-9pm; $27 ($9 per hour); Fitzroy.

Marshall Waters will discuss his journey in the wine industry, identify where waste exists in the industry, and how it can be made more sustainable. The ticket price includes a pizza and wine.

Home Harvest twilight picnic; Friday, 25th February, 4-8pm; free; Edendale.

This year’s Home Harvest picnic will be a BYO twilight event. Musical entertainment will be provided by Kimba Griffith Quintet, from Hurstbridge, who will play jazz music. Other planned activities include lawn games, a food swap, a seed library and a largest zucchini competition. Cafe Eden will also be open for coffee and food.

Food forest gardening; Thursday, 17th March, 6.30-8pm; free; Edendale.

Learn tips, tricks and the why, when and how of food forest and urban orchard gardening. Find out what’s involved, do some planning and get some handy resources to help with growing some of your food in an efficient way that mimics nature. Suitable for anyone interested in growing food.

The Herb and Chilli Festival; Saturday, 19th March and Sunday, 20th March, both 10am-5pm; $25; Wandin.

This festival will celebrate all things related to herbs and chillies. There will be stalls, demonstrations, talks, tastings, music and dance. There will be around 80 exhibitors.

Bees wax wraps; Saturday, 19th March, 2-4pm; $50 ($25 per hour); Mount Evelyn.

You will learn all about beeswax, how honeybees make it, its antibacterial properties, and how we can use it to reduce our footprint on the planet. You will make your own beeswax food wrap to take home along with a 100% pure beeswax candle and the skills to make more. Organised by Mt Evelyn Community House.

DIY mushrooms; Sunday, 20th March, 10am-4pm; $165 ($28 per hour); CERES.

Presenter: Buttons Mira from The Mushroomery. You will be shown the secrets to successfully growing mushrooms at home. You will learn the growing methods for oyster and shitake mushrooms, including inoculation and sterilisation, and be introduced to basic mycology. You will undertake practical sessions and learn how to start master cultures.

Starting winter veggies from seed; Sunday, 20th March, 11am-1pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Edendale.

This workshop for beginners will teach you the basics of growing fresh food from seed and will cover: what to plant when; how to make your own seed-raising mix; looking after your seedlings once they’ve sprouted; and troubleshooting common problems such as poor germination, transplant shock and pest attack. Presenter: Jules Jay.

Mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 20th March, 1-4pm; $70 ($23 per hour); Park Orchards.

Learn how to grow mushrooms at home. Gain an overview of the fungi life cycle, the cultivation process, building a mushroom growing chamber, harvesting and storage. Includes: course materials, an oyster mushroom growing kit per person (valued $30), course notes and ongoing support. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Wine appreciation (3 sessions); 3 consecutive Mondays, starting, 21st March, 7-8.30pm; $80 ($18 per hour); Brunswick.

Ever thought you’d like to know a little more about wine? Want to find out what “raspberry, oak, tannins on the back palette” really means? Go along and find out from sommelier Kira Janowsky. See, swirl, sniff, sip, savour – you will sample Victorian wines and learn how to recognise the basic structure of wine, and the words to describe it. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

In January
In February
In March

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Ladies day in the kitchen; Thursday, 17th March, 9.30am-midday; $32 ($13 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Jill Bowen Hess will discuss grazing food including BBQs, summer meals and picnics. Organised by Yarra Glen Living & Learning Centre.

Artisan bread making; Sunday, 20th March, 8am-2pm; $220 ($37 per hour); Abbotsford.

What you will learn: experimenting with bread; the bread baking process with each step explained; and how to replicate the process at home. What you will get: 1 kilo of organic flour to take home; and savory calzone for lunch, which you make, eat and take home. The focus will be on ciabatta and turkish breads. Organised by Convent Bakery.

Passata day; Sunday, 20th March, 10am-1pm; $15 ($5 per hour); Watsonia.

Learn how to make and bottle/jar passata. Followed by a pasta lunch. Organised by Watsonia Neighbourhood House.

Feta and haloumi cheese making; Sunday, 20th March, 10am-4pm; $170 ($28 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own fetta and haloumi cheese; how to make ricotta cheese; and about different cheeses. Presenters: Janet Clayton and Charlene Angus from Cheeselinks.

Truffle workshop at Ratio Cocoa Roasters; Sunday, 20th March, 11am-12.30pm; $75 ($50 per hour); Brunswick.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting. Then make your own milk or dark truffles with a selection of toppings.

The art of salad making; Tuesday, 22nd March, 7-8.30pm; $40 ($26 per hour); Hawthorn.

Join them in this hands-on salad making workshop using seasonal produce. You will learn about salads that deliver big, punchy flavours and homemade sauces. Organised by Hawthorn Community House.

In January
In February
In March
In Richmond
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 27th January, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Pizza making party; Friday, 28th January, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Friday, 28th January, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 29th January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Saturday, 29th January, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Asian cooking with parents and kids; Sunday, 30th January, 2-4pm; $91 ($46 per hour).
  • Vegan cooking master class; Sunday, 30th January, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 30th January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 3rd February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 4th February, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Friday, 4th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 5th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Saturday, 5th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Saturday, 5th February, 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 6th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Sunday, 6th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Sunday, 6th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Gnocchi in tutta l’Italia; Tuesday, 8th February, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 10th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Cooking with Australian ingredients master class; Friday, 11th February, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 11th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 12th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Saturday, 12th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Saturday, 12th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 13th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Asian cooking with parents and kids; Sunday, 13th February, 2-4pm; $91 ($46 per hour).
  • Korean cooking master class; Sunday, 13th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 17th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Friday, 18th February, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Friday, 18th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 19th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Saturday, 19th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Saturday, 19th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 20th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Vegan cooking master class; Sunday, 20th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 24th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Sicilian food; Thursday, 24th February, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Pizza making party; Friday, 25th February, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour).
  • Greek cooking master class; Friday, 25th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 26th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Mexican cooking master class; Saturday, 26th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Spanish cooking master class; Saturday, 26th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 27th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Cooking with Australian ingredients master class; Sunday, 27th February, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Italian cooking master class; Sunday, 27th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 3rd March, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Nonna’s comfort food (Italian); Thursday, 3rd March, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 4th March, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Friday, 4th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 5th March, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Saturday, 5th March, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Saturday, 5th March, 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 6th March, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Sunday, 6th March, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Sunday, 6th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Gnocchi in tutta l’Italia; Tuesday, 8th March, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 10th March, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • The cuisine of Central Italy; Thursday, 10th March, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Cooking with Australian ingredients master class; Friday, 11th March, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 11th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 12th March, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Saturday, 12th March, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Saturday, 12th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 13th March, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Asian cooking with parents and kids; Sunday, 13th March, 2-4pm; $91 ($46 per hour).
  • Korean cooking master class; Sunday, 13th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • A seafood feast; Tuesday, 15th March, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).

LFC News January 19 2022

Jan 192022
 

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Cheryl Kearney, Chris Newman, Debbie Crosthwaite, Jaimie Sweetman, Jan Akeroyd, Lee Hirsh, Lucinda Flynn, Marina Bistrin, Sarah Mathers and Yuki Cameron.

Jaimie on golden purslane (Portulaca oleracea var. sativa)

[Jaimie Sweetman is Head Gardener of the Edible Forest located on the Yarra Valley Estate in Dixons Creek. Tours of the Edible Forest, often led by Jaimie, take place on all days except Sundays – read more and book your place on a future tour.]

Many of you will know common purslane (Portulaca oleracea). Whilst it is readily found, it is considered by some people to be a weed due to its ability to self-seed and grow in poor soils. But did you know that it’s really, really good for you? It has more omega-3 fatty acid than any other land plant and is extremely high in iron. They use it a lot in the Mediterranean areas and it goes great with fresh fish.

The cultivated variety pictured right is called golden purslane (Portulaca oleracea var. sativa). It doesn’t spread or have the weedy attributes of common purslane. But it will re-seed in its spot and come back year after year for your enjoyment. It has larger, fleshier leaves then common purslane and I eat these raw as I’m wondering around the garden but they can be put into salads for extra crunch and texture. Seeds are readily available online and it’s a really great annual which has high nutritional value and is easy to grow, plus it has the added benefit of it re-seeding itself in your garden (but not to the point it would be considered a weed) every year.

Read about more of Jaimie’s unusual, edible plants.

A new local maker of fudge – Sweetart Kitchen

Sweetart Kitchen, who are based in Ringwood, make delicate, handcrafted fudge. They offer six unique flavours; key lime & meringue, rose & white chocolate, cinnamon chai latte, chocolate & orange, cappuccino creme and vanilla crumble. Each is available in 160g packs of eight pieces. You can buy their products either online or at several of the local markets (Eltham, Heathmont, Hurstbridge, Montrose and Nunawading).

Read Sweetart Kitchen’s page in our Local Food Directory. Welcome Rebecca!

Our guide to local cheese – updated

As this table from our updated guide to local cheese demonstrates, there are lots of local cheese producers and lots of ways of buying their products. There is also a wide choice of different types of cheese.

 
Name		  
Base		 What do
they sell?		 Where do they sell?
Own shop? Other shops? Online? Markets?
AVS Organic Foods Watsonia North vegan . yes yes .
That’s Amore Cheese Thomastown mainly soft, Italian yes yes yes .
The Cheese Rebels Epping . . . . .
Wholemilk Continental Cheese Company Heidelberg West mainly hard yes yes . .
Yarra Valley Dairy Yering mainly soft, goat yes yes . .

 
Read our full updated guide to local cheese

Yes, you did know!

Last week, Alex Salmon asked how she could get rid of the sheep’s sorrel that has overtaken some wicking beds. 6 of you responded, with all 6 contributions being very informative:

3 of you suggested that raising the pH of the soil would help:

  • Chris Newman: Sheep sorrel likes acid soils and, according to this article, adding lime and fertiliser will help control it.
  • Cheryl Kearney: I have had a similar issue with sheep sorrel growing rampant. I am on very acidic soil which sheep sorrel apparently loves. I have managed to gradually reduce it by repeatedly applying lime or dolomite, especially around the edges of the garden bed. In other words, my suggestion is that you increase the pH of the soil in the wicking bed to slow the sorrel and make it more manageable. Note that I also use sheep sorrel as a lemon substitute as it adds a great tangy lemon flavour to fish and salads; however, I can never use it all as it is so prolific. Working with weeds: a practical guide to understanding, managing and using weeds by Kate Wall has some words on the subject – here is an excerpt: “Sheep sorrel, chicory, dandelions, plaintain, bindii and clover all favour slightly acid soils. Adjusting the pH with dolomite will give a competitive advantage to the lawn over the weeds. In the case of plaintain and sheep sorrel, allow them to decompose in situ and they will act to slowly raise the pH of the soil naturally. They do this by being an accumulator of calcium and phosphorous, both nutrients which are limited in the low fertility soils that weeds are commonly found in.“
  • Debbie Crosthwaite: I have been battling sheep sorrel for many years and I have now mostly eradicated it from my garden beds (both ornamental and vegetable). It likes an acidic, low in nitrogen, soil. I have had success by applying a fair amount of garden lime, then mulching heavily with cardboard or newspaper and then pea straw. This takes time and patience. I initially tried to dig the sheep sorrel up, however, it grew up back stronger and more vigorous!

2 of you worried about the seeds that the sheep sorrel has been creating:

  • Yuki Cameron: It looks like the plants have gone to seed so there may be lots of seed in the soil that may be germinating each time the bed is cleared. Removing the plants and roots may not be enough to get rid of this problem. Maybe put a weed mat or black plastic down and plant strawberry and selected veggie seedlings in small holes in the weed mat/black plastic. Note that you would probably need a drip watering system in the bed to keep it moist enough.
  • Marina Bistrin: Sheep sorrel is very persistent. If the soil is removed, sieved and put back, some of the seeds may still be in it as they are quite fine and I suspect that it may need to be done two years in a row. Also, until Alex decides on what permanent solution to adopt, I suggest that she weeds out any of the flowering seed heads as they emerge to stop further spread. I also suggest that she only grows quick growing crops (e.g. lettuce and radishes) in that area so that a weeding can be done in between crops.

Finally, Jan Akeroyd discussed how to get rid of any problematic weed: My approach for any problematic weed that sprouts from root fragments is to cover the area with cardboard and mulch followed by ongoing monitoring to remove any shoots that come up through the cardboard barrier. The root fragments sprout and exhaust their energy growing long shoots under the cardboard looking for a way to get to the light. Once the bulk of the root fragments have died off, and the bed is back in production, ongoing monthly monitoring for any shoots will eventually deal with the rest. For sheep sorrel, there may also be a seed bank in the soil and/or there may be seed coming in from nearby plants so it might be hard to eradicate completely. Note that the leaves are edible so any seedlings can be harvested and used in small quantities (they contain oxalic acid) in a salad – read this website.

Do you know?

Lucinda Flynn: “Can tell me the location of the place where all the Italians go to buy their bulk passata tomatoes – I’ve driven past it before (Thornbury, Coburg, Brunswick areas) but can’t remember where.” Email your responses.

Want a job?

As discussed later under events, Brunswick Neighbourhood House is running a 9 week pre-accredited course entitled Step to employment in horticulture, which will take place in Fawkner and which will run on 9 consecutive Fridays starting 11th February, each 9.30am-3pm. They need someone to run the course. This is a paid position. Candidates will have a gardening/horticulture qualification of some kind and/or considerable, demonstrable experience. Teaching experience will be highly regarded. For more information, contact Janet Thompson, Brunswick Neighbourhood House ACFE Coordinator by email (bnhacfe@bnhc.vic.gov.au).

Want to volunteer?

The Community Grocer is looking for volunteers to help with their markets in Carlton, Fitzroy and Heidelberg West. Read more.

‘Crowd harvest’ – summer herbs

During January, take your surplus herb plants in pots, freshly cut herbs or dried herbs to NewHope Community Care in Blackburn North. They have clients who could make use of these herbs.

Another article from Angelo Eliades

How to protect plants from frost with seaweed extract.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was 3000acres’ announcement that they are joining CERES.

Joke (or pun) of the week

Submitted by Lee Hirsh.

Q: Why was the celery given a restraining order?
A: It was stalking the other vegetables.

Read more jokes.

Covid announcement re upcoming events and activities

Some of the events below will probably be cancelled because of Covid. For example, all upcoming face-to-face events organised by Boroondara Council have just been cancelled, including both their urban backyard food forest tours and their Winter vegetable gardening workshops. So, if you are planning to go to an event, you might want to check in advance that it is actually happening.

Many of the events below will be restricted to fully vaccinated people only.

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Because of Covid, all upcoming face-to-face events organised by Boroondara Council have been cancelled. These include both and their urban backyard food forest tours and their Winter vegetable gardening workshops.

Arts in the garden; Saturday, 29th January, 10am-12.30pm; $12; Hurstbridge.

Join artist Leanne Mooney for a workshop on creating sculpture from simple materials found in nature. Take along special rocks, sticks, leaves, feathers or seed pods collected from the garden or a local park. After looking at works by other sculptors, you will explore ways to join your materials together to make a sculpture to take home. Organised by Edible Hub Community Garden.

Food forest tour and workshop; Saturday, 29th January, 1.30-3pm; $40 ($26 per hour); Camberwell.

The workshop and tour will cover all of their different styles of growing (intensive raised beds, Vegepod, in-ground beds), their pond (which provides both food and free fertiliser), greenhouse, chicken run, worm farm and composting system. You will learn how to make most of your space, deal with shade, poor soil and pests, and garden with sustainable and free materials. You will also learn about many interesting and unusual edibles that can be grown in Melbourne’s climate.

Waste becomes blossoms and butterflies; Saturday, 5th February, 10am-12.30pm; free; Hurstbridge.

Children and adults alike are invited to join them as they turn textile waste into a community wall hanging. Drop in and learn how to create flowers, leaves and butterflies from fabric waste. They will then be attached to a wall hanging where they will turn a bare tree into a blossoming tree, which represents the community working together to solve a problem (in this case textile waste) and the beauty that it creates in the process. Organised by SHIFT.

Step to employment in horticulture (9 sessions); on 9 consecutive Fridays starting 11th February, each 9.30am-3pm; free; Fawkner.

Learn basic skills and gain knowledge necessary for working in the horticultural industry or progressing to further study. Subjects will include plant identification, propagation, planting and pruning. You will be given hands-on gardening experience during the course, understanding both gardening tools and OH&S considerations. Free subject to ACFE eligibility. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Planning your autumn vegetable garden; Tuesday, 15th February, 1-2.30pm; free; Coburg.

Kaye Roberts-Palmer from Blue Bee Garden Design will discuss what to plant and how to prepare your garden for Autumn. Registrations essential.

Pop up garlic farmer (9 month course); a 9 month course starting on Saturday, 26th February.

In this 9 month course, you will get: 8 workshops & farm tours; garlic seed to plant (approx. 500 seeds); land use and access for 10 months; water, mulch and compost; and your own crop of organically grown garlic at the end of the year to sell, give away or simply keep for yourself. You can choose either Heide Kitchen Gardens in Bulleen or The Veggie Empire in Greensborough as the location to grow your garlic.

Introduction to beekeeping; Saturday, 26th February, 9.30am-4.30pm; $225 ($25 per hour); Blackburn North.

The all day program is highly interactive and includes a live hive opening on the following Saturday (10.30am-12.30pm) as well as other hands-on skill building exercises. Background instruction incorporates equipment selection and bee biology in addition to details of the Apiary and Biosecurity Codes of Practice. Included in the course fee are a comprehensive handbook and a copy of the textbook The Australian Beekeeping Manual, 2nd Ed. which retails at $60. Organised by the Beekeepers Club.

Veggie gardening for beginners; Thursday, 10th March, 6.30-9pm; $55 ($22 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden (BAAG).

What you will learn: how to set up and prepare a vegetable garden; how to select, plant and care for crops; and how to grow veggies in the ground, in raised beds and in pots. Presented by Tess Gosling. This class will teach you everything you need to know to grow delicious produce in your own backyard. They will cover all of the veggie gardening basics, from setting up your patch to harvesting.

Beginning beekeeping course; Saturday, 12th March, 9am-3.30pm; $245 ($41 per hour); Edendale.

What you will learn: getting started with backyard beekeeping; how to maintain a healthy hive, the wonders of swarms and how to keep them in check; and the wonders of pure raw honey and an understanding of honey extraction. Weather permitting, they will open a hive and have a hands-on demonstration working with hives. Take a packed lunch. Presenter: Benedict Hughes.

Growing mushrooms at home; Sunday, 13th March, 10am-12.30pm; $95 ($38 per hour); Alphington.

Learn how to grow oyster mushrooms from your own home without using expensive kits. Learn how to make your own mushroom growing kits in recycled buckets. Also, tour the mushroom farm. You will take home: the mushroom kit that you made at the workshop plus instructions for how to make more kits. Organised by Sporadical City Mushrooms.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly, starting Wednesday, 16th March, 9am-3pm; $880 ($10 per hour); CERES.

Presenters: Justin Calverley and Donna Livermore. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

In January
In February
In March

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Passata party vol. 2; Saturday, 12th February, 10am-4pm; free; Coburg North.

Learn how to pick, clean, boil, mash, sieve and bottle fresh tomatoes. Relax and enjoy the music. They recommend wearing only red – or clothes you are happy to get dirty in. Organised by Newlands Neighbourhood House.

Men in the kitchen; Monday, 7th March, 6.30-9pm; $32 ($13 per hour); Yarra Glen.

Jill Bowen Hess will discuss grazing food including BBQs, summer meals and picnics. Organised by Yarra Glen Living & Learning Centre.

Italian cooking; Thursday, 10th March, 6-8pm; $70 ($35 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Lucia Silverii will teach the time-honoured techniques of southern Italian cooking. This session will focus on desserts. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Middle Eastern cooking; Friday, 11th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $65 ($22 per hour); Park Orchards.

Learn about the flavours of Middle Eastern cooking. Try out recipes and cooking methods while preparing a three course menu. Stay and share your freshly prepared dinner with the group. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Kitchen garden sessions #1; Saturday, 12th March, 10am-midday; $15; Coburg.

Walking through the kitchen garden, the group will decide what to might cook, create a menu, and share a meal at the end. Organised by East Coburg Neighbourhood House.

Beginners bread making; Sunday, 13th March, 8am-2pm; $220 ($37 per hour); Abbotsford.

What you will learn: experimenting with bread; the bread baking process with each step explained; and how to replicate the process at home. What you will get: 1 kilo of organic flour to take home; pizza for lunch, which you make, eat and take home; and an embroidered apron made from 100% Fairtrade cotton. Organised by Convent Bakery.

The ultimate biscuit class; Tuesday, 15th March, 10am-3pm; $160 ($32 per hour); Blackburn.

Learn about flours and how they interact with other ingredients. Learn a variety of techniques and textures to create many different types of biscuits from shortbreads, to fancy petit fours, wedged with ganache and dipped in chocolate. They will cover shelf life, storage, freezing and nutritional input. They will include gluten free, dairy free and nut free recipes. You will take home 1kg of assorted biscuits made in the class plus their recipes.

In January
In February
In March
In Richmond
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 20th January, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Friday, 21st January, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 22nd January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Indonesian cooking master class; Saturday, 22nd January, 2-4pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Saturday, 22nd January, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 27th January, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Pizza making party; Friday, 28th January, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Friday, 28th January, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 29th January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Saturday, 29th January, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Asian cooking with parents and kids; Sunday, 30th January, 2-4pm; $91 ($46 per hour).
  • Vegan cooking master class; Sunday, 30th January, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 30th January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 3rd February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 4th February, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Friday, 4th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 5th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Saturday, 5th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Saturday, 5th February, 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 6th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Sunday, 6th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Sunday, 6th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Gnocchi in tutta l’Italia; Tuesday, 8th February, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 10th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Cooking with Australian ingredients master class; Friday, 11th February, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 11th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 12th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Saturday, 12th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Saturday, 12th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 13th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Asian cooking with parents and kids; Sunday, 13th February, 2-4pm; $91 ($46 per hour).
  • Korean cooking master class; Sunday, 13th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 17th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Friday, 18th February, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Friday, 18th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 19th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Saturday, 19th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Saturday, 19th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 20th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Vegan cooking master class; Sunday, 20th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 24th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Sicilian food; Thursday, 24th February, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Pizza making party; Friday, 25th February, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour).
  • Greek cooking master class; Friday, 25th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 26th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Mexican cooking master class; Saturday, 26th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Spanish cooking master class; Saturday, 26th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 27th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Cooking with Australian ingredients master class; Sunday, 27th February, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Italian cooking master class; Sunday, 27th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 3rd March, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Nonna’s comfort food (Italian); Thursday, 3rd March, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 4th March, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Friday, 4th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 5th March, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Saturday, 5th March, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Saturday, 5th March, 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 6th March, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Sunday, 6th March, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Sunday, 6th March, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Gnocchi in tutta l’Italia; Tuesday, 8th March, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).

LFC News January 12 2022

Jan 122022
 

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Amy Wong, Bev Middleton, Buttons Mira, Krysty Plumridge, Laura Nix, Merrin Layden, Pauline Webb, Rebecca Gray and Soo Mei Leong.

Bev Middleton writes about soil health

As you may (or may not) remember, 5th December 2021 was World Soil Day. On that day, I met up with Bev Middleton, from Macleod, who is the Director of Healthy Soils Australia. Subsequent to that meeting, Bev agreed to write an introductory article on soil health for our website and, true to her word, she has now done so.

As Bev says in the introduction to her article, “Healthy soil plays a key role in our food security, health, clean water, eco services and our climate. Healthy soil has lots of organic matter, teeming with life, and soil rich in microorganisms, fungi and nutrients produces nutrient dense food. While we cannot see them, microorganisms (aka microbes), protozoa and nematodes all provide the plants with the nutrients that they need plus protection against pests and disease. Soil with lots of organic matter also has a good structure that holds more water and nutrients for the microorganisms in the soil.”

She then sets out six principles for building your own soil health:

  1. Add lots of organic matter and compost.
  2. Limit disturbance.
  3. Keep your ground covered.
  4. Diversity of plants.
  5. Keep living roots in the soil
  6. Limit use of chemical pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides.

Read the full article.

A new local mushroom grower – The Mushroomery

The Mushroomery is a little urban mushroom farm, based in Alphington, which offers a variety of mushrooms to both the local community and restaurants. You can buy the mushrooms either as once-off purchases or via an ongoing subscription/arrangement. They also sell mushroom kits. You can buy either online or at several of the local farmers’ markets (Alphington, Carlton, Coburg and Heathmont). They grow their mushrooms in reusable buckets, rather than single use plastic bags, thus reducing waste.

As well as selling mushroom, Buttons, who is the owner of The Mushroomery, also wants to spread the knowledge of how mushrooms grow and what benefits they can have for both your and the environment’s health. She also feels that those of us in the urban bubble are losing connection and understanding of the food systems that support us. She hopes that by farming in urban areas her farm will be a visible place where people can learn more and that she can contribute to bridging the gap between rural and urban areas.

Read the Mushroomery’s page in our Local Food Directory. Welcome Buttons!

Our guide to local chocolate – updated

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to update the various guides on our website to categories of local food, adding new producers and removing those that no longer appear to be trading. First up is local chocolate producers.

As this table from our updated guide to local chocolate demonstrates, there are lots of local chocolate producers and lots of ways of buying their products.

 
Name		  
Base		 Where do they sell?
Own shop? Other shops? Online? Markets?
Chocolatier Australia Ivanhoe yes yes yes .
Cocoa Rhapsody Coburg . yes . yes
Girl Made Chocolate Northcote . yes . yes
Manuko Thornbury . yes yes .
Organic Times Bayswater . yes yes .
Ratio Cocoa Roasters Brunswick yes yes yes .
Van Nunen Chocolates Eltham . yes . .
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery Yarra Glen yes . yes .

 
Read our full updated guide to local chocolate

Yes, I did know!

Amy Wong has sent in the picture right and asked how she can tell when her sweetcorns are ready for harvesting. Here is my answer:

  1. Harvest the ears 20 days after the silk first appears. Or, press a kernel with a fingernail: creamy=ripe; watery=unripe; no liquid=over-ripe.
  2. Note that every kernel on a cob needs to be separately pollinated and, once pollinated, the attached silk usually turns brown and/or falls off. In Amy’s case, there are some brown silks but many yellow silks, so probably many kernels remain to be pollinated.
  3. Hand pollination really helps: each day, pull off a tassel from the top of the plant (the male) and rub it onto the silks (the female).

If anyone would like to add anything (or correct me), email me.

Do you know?

I asked this question in December but no one answered it so I am asking it again.

Alex Salmon spends time working in a communal garden space in Burwood. Over the last few years, sheep’s sorrel (Rumex acetosella) has taken over several of the wicking beds. She has sifted through the soil with fork and hands to about 15cm deep, removing all pieces of root, but anything that escapes her soon flourishes. Someone else sprayed with Roundup but the plants soon grew back. In desperation, Alex is thinking about removing all the soil and either putting it carefully through a sieve to remove any root material or completely replacing it. Can anyone suggest an easier solution? Email me with your responses and I’ll pass them onto Alex.

Yes, we can help!

Late last year, Rebecca Gray asked if anyone had any water kefir grains that they could give her. And the response is that Pauline Webb could and did.

3000acres is becoming part of CERES

Read their ‘press release’.

Not local but interesting

15 food gardens are being opened to the public on the weekend of 22/23 January in West Gippsland (from Warragul to Moe). $8 per garden or $60 for all 15 gardens. Read more on their Creative Harvest website.

Thanks for the heads up, Soo Mei Leong, who writes: “Having visited various of the gardens each year since Creative Harvest began a few years ago, I am always impressed and in awe of the resilient garden owners who open their gardens to visitors in the heat of summer. From suburbia plots in the Warragul area to rambling country gardens, one learns so much about permaculture principles, chooks, beekeeping and water conservation techniques, as well as tips on growing berries, fruits and veggies organically. There is the added bonus of a creative artist (mosiacs, sculptures, etc) in most of the gardens to chat with. This year, one of the gardens (Green Hills Farm) is an ABC Dream Garden which featured on television in 2021. My favourite phrase from the various garden descriptions is ‘veggie avatar’.”

One of the organisers of the event, Kristy Plumridge, has written an article about the event for our website.

Some new articles from Angelo Eliades

Does watering plants on a hot sunny day scorch their leaves? Interestingly, Angelo’s answer is ‘no’.

The best way to use pest animal scent repellents so they don’t wash away.

How much of a difference does the thermal mass of a wall make for plants and trees in Winter?. Angelo’s answer is effectively ‘quite a lot’.

Read Angelo’s previous food-related articles.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the newsletter was our calendar of free, local events.

Joke (or pun) of the week

Q: How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
A: Any way you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.

Read more jokes.

Regular activities over the coming week

I presume that all the events below are actually happening but I can’t guarantee it so you might want to check in advance if you are planning to go.

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Many of these events will be restricted to fully vaccinated people only.

Vegetable seed saving; Thursday, 3rd March, 6.30-8pm; free; Edendale.

Autumn is the perfect time to save some of your summer vegetable seeds for re-planting in spring. Rachel Bishop will give you the basic knowledge and skills required to save your own true-to-type vegetable seeds. Seed selection, harvesting, processing and storing will all be covered.

Flavours of Coburg food tour; Saturday, 5th March, 10am-1pm; $49 ($16 per hour); Coburg.

You will experience the cultural delights of 6 different countries over 8 unique food stops. With a mixture of sweet and savoury tastings, you will soon discover that Coburg is an ideal foodie destination for anyone who’s tired of the ‘standard’ menu items you find in most modern cafes. Bursting with atmosphere, each foodie stop brings its own ‘personal touch’ with business owners proud of their cultural heritage, so obviously reflected in the food they prepare, the way they serve it and the way they interact with their customers. But that’s not all … you will also pop into a Middle-Eastern gold jewellery shop to learn the cultural significance of various pieces, learn some local history and the best local foodie tips. Organised by Flavourhood Tours.

Grow your own native edibles; Saturday, 5th March, 1-2.30pm; $61 ($41 per hour); Abbotsford.

You will learn how to grow and harvest 10 different native edibles that can be grown in either large gardens or on the patio in a pot. You will also try a native tea of lemon myrtle, river mint or lemon scented tea tree. Organised by Cultivating Community.

In January
In February

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Many of these events will be restricted to fully vaccinated people only.

Italian cooking; Thursday, 3rd March, 6-8pm; $70 ($35 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Lucia Silverii will teach the time-honoured techniques of southern Italian cooking. This session will focus on antipasto and main meals. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Beginners bread making; Sunday, 6th March, 8am-2pm; $220 ($37 per hour); Abbotsford.

What you will learn: experimenting with bread; the bread baking process with each step explained; and how to replicate the process at home. What you will get: 1 kilo of organic flour to take home; pizza for lunch, which you make, eat and take home; and an embroidered apron made from 100% Fairtrade cotton. Organised by Convent Bakery.

Sri Lankan cooking class; Tuesday, 8th March, 6-9pm; $90 ($30 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Experience the tastes, smells and sounds of Sri Lankan cooking. You will make two different curries, coconut sambal and a side dish. Afterwards, you’ll sit down and enjoy a Sri Lankan feast. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

In January
In February
In Richmond
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 13th January, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Friday, 14th January, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Friday, 14th January, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 15th January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Korean cooking master class; Saturday, 15th January, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 16th January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Sunday, 16th January, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Spanish cooking master class; Sunday, 16th January, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 20th January, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Friday, 21st January, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 22nd January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Indonesian cooking master class; Saturday, 22nd January, 2-4pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Saturday, 22nd January, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 27th January, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Pizza making party; Friday, 28th January, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Friday, 28th January, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 29th January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Saturday, 29th January, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Asian cooking with parents and kids; Sunday, 30th January, 2-4pm; $91 ($46 per hour).
  • Vegan cooking master class; Sunday, 30th January, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 30th January, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 3rd February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 4th February, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Friday, 4th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 5th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Saturday, 5th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Saturday, 5th February, 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 6th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Sunday, 6th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Sunday, 6th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Gnocchi in tutta l’Italia; Tuesday, 8th February, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 10th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Cooking with Australian ingredients master class; Friday, 11th February, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 11th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 12th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Saturday, 12th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Saturday, 12th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 13th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Asian cooking with parents and kids; Sunday, 13th February, 2-4pm; $91 ($46 per hour).
  • Korean cooking master class; Sunday, 13th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 17th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Friday, 18th February, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Friday, 18th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 19th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Saturday, 19th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Saturday, 19th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 20th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Vegan cooking master class; Sunday, 20th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 24th February, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Sicilian food; Thursday, 24th February, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Pizza making party; Friday, 25th February, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour).
  • Greek cooking master class; Friday, 25th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 26th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Mexican cooking master class; Saturday, 26th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Spanish cooking master class; Saturday, 26th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 27th February, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Cooking with Australian ingredients master class; Sunday, 27th February, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Italian cooking master class; Sunday, 27th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).

LFC News January 5 2022

Jan 052022
 

Happy New Year everyone!

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Lisa Toone, Meg Montague, Raffaela Ceddia and Savannah Supski.

Lots of new, upcoming events were announced over the holiday period and these are enough on their own to fill this newsletter so you will have to wait until next week’s newsletter for other news, articles, etc.

Regular activities over the coming week

I presume that all the events below are actually happening but I can’t guarantee it so you might want to check in advance if you are planning to go.

Farmers’ markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Yes, you did know!

In the last newsletter, Gina Wilson asked what the pictured plant is (see left hand photo). As both Lisa Toone and Meg Montague have written in to say, it is a hollyhock. Gina has now decided to keep it. I asked Gina to send me a photo when it had flowered and she has just done so (see right hand photo).

What seeds to plant in January

Here is a list (see the planting guide for more detail):

Warm season veggies

Beans
Sweetcorn

Leafy greens

Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Parsley
Silverbeet

Roots

Beetroot
Carrot
Potato
Radish

Perennials

Chives

 
January is not a good planting month: too late for all summer veggies except beans and sweetcorn and, although you can plant leafy greens such as lettuce, mizuna and mustard greens, they are likely to go to seed pretty quickly.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

The photo is of an ‘insect hotel’ at the University of Melbourne. As discussed on their website, the hotel is designed to educate visitors about our diverse native insect population by drawing attention to the role that native bees and other insects play in pollinating native plant species. Some of the holes seem big enough to accommodate a small cat!

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the newsletter was the evidence-based permaculture Facebook group.

Joke (or pun) of the week

A rabbi, a priest, and a Lutheran minister walk into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, “Is this some kind of joke?”

Read more jokes.

Upcoming events – introduction

As has become traditional, the list of events below covers the next two months and is divided between non-cooking and cooking events. Clicking the name of any event will take you to the full detail plus a link to register/book your place.

The events listed are restricted to face-to-face events and do not include online events. Obviously, they are also restricted to those that I am aware of. If you know of any local, food-related events that are not listed then please email me. If someone emails me about their event then, because I believe in rewarding effort, I will highlight it in the next newsletter.

You can also look at the various calendars on the website, including:

The website calendars have a number of features which allow you to filter or re-format the list of events to suit your purposes. These include:

  • Filtering by suburb or Council area (click the button top left called ‘locations’).
  • Alternating between a list format and a calendar format (click the button top right called ‘agenda’).
  • Registering/booking your place for a particular event (click the button on the right of the event called ‘tickets’).
  • Reading the event description for a particular event (click the button on the right of the event called ‘+’).

There are also website calendars for all the recurring events including community garden get togethers, food swaps, free meals and markets.

Finally, there are separate website calendars for each of the Council areas in North East Melbourne.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Many of these events will be restricted to fully vaccinated people only.

Food photography; Saturday, 15th January, 9.30am-12.30pm; $109 ($36 per hour); Eltham.

This class is for food bloggers, bakers or restaurant/cafe owners. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as: the right equipment; the best camera settings to make your food look good; choosing the right backgrounds; lighting; basic food styling; being creative; the perils of incorrect white balance; and using software to enhance colour and presentation.

Botanical drinks; Saturday, 15th January, 3-4.30pm; $22 ($15 per hour); Bulleen.

Enjoy a summer afternoon tour in the gardens with Heide gardeners David Murphy and Luke Murchie. Sample garden botanicals such as elderflower and prickly currant in gin, tea and soda. Organised by Heide Museum of Modern Art.

Foraging course (5 sessions); on 5 consecutive Wednesdays from 19th January, each 6-8pm; $277 ($28 per hour); Coburg.

The various sessions will explore specific plants, including identification, nutrition, properties and recipes, ending in tastings of wild food treats. You will learn about: the importance of wild foods; medicine as food; the difference between cultivated foods and wild food; sustainable wildcrafting; safe foraging; identification, nutrition and properties of several plants; and recipes for each of the plants. Organised by Taj Scicluna (aka The Perma Pixie).

Bakery Hill whisky distillery tour and tasting; 2 occurrences on Friday, 21st January and Saturday, 29th January, each 11am-12.30pm; $59 ($40 per hour); Bayswater North

Visit the oldest single malt whisky distillery on mainland Australia. The tour will be conducted by the distiller himself where you will learn how Bakery Hill produces its malts. Touch, smell and taste all the elements of single malt whisky production. The tour will conclude with a tasting of the core range and the opportunity to purchase products at discount prices.

Growing mushrooms at home; Saturday, 22nd January, 10am-12.30pm; $95 ($38 per hour); Alphington.

Learn how to grow oyster mushrooms from your own home without using expensive kits. Learn how to make your own mushroom growing kits in recycled buckets. Also, tour the mushroom farm. You will take home: the mushroom kit that you made at the workshop plus instructions for how to make more kits. Organised by Sporadical City Mushrooms.

Sprouting gardens; Saturday, 22nd January, 10.30am-midday; $62 ($41 per hour); Abbotsford.

Make your own sprouted garden that will include, seeds, jar, and cloth top. Learn how a seed germinates, how to start your sprouting garden and how to look after it so your sprouts don’t rot. Try out different types of seeds that have different crunch and flavour once they start to sprout. Organised by Cultivating Community.

How to make beeswax food wraps; Thursday, 27th January, 6.30-8pm; $60 ($40 per hour); Fitzroy.

Using fabric and beeswax, Helena from Work-Shop Melbourne will show you a foolproof process for food preservation involving zero plastic. You’ll learn how to mix, apply and bake your wraps, as well as how to care for them. All the necessary supplies will be provided.

Flavours of Coburg food tour; 3 occurrences on Saturdays, 29th January, 12th February and 26th February, each 10am-1pm; $49 ($16 per hour); Coburg.

You will experience the cultural delights of 6 different countries over 8 unique food stops. With a mixture of sweet and savoury tastings, you will soon discover that Coburg is an ideal foodie destination for anyone who’s tired of the ‘standard’ menu items you find in most modern cafes. Bursting with atmosphere, each foodie stop brings its own ‘personal touch’ with business owners proud of their cultural heritage, so obviously reflected in the food they prepare, the way they serve it and the way they interact with their customers. But that’s not all … you will also pop into a Middle-Eastern gold jewellery shop to learn the cultural significance of various pieces, learn some local history and the best local foodie tips. Organised by Flavourhood Tours.

The herbal apprentice (7 sessions); starting on Thursday, 3rd February, 6-8pm; $732 ($52 per hour); Brunswick East.

This will be an intermediate level herbal medicine internship teaching essential gardening practices, techniques of germination & cultivation, harvesting, drying & storing plant material, and catalysing this material into herbal medicines. Organised by Taj Scicluna (aka The Perma Pixie).

Building wicking beds using recycled materials; Saturday, 5th February, 10.30am-midday; $97 ($64 per hour); Abbotsford.

Learn about the benefits of wicking beds, how they work, what plants are suitable for wicking beds and what are not, and how to make wicking beds using recycled materials. Participants will make a small wicking bed using recycled materials to take home, including soil and seedlings. Organised by Cultivating Community.

Beginners compost, worm farms and bokashi bins; Saturday, 5th February, 1-2.30pm; $67 ($44 per hour); Abbotsford.

In this workshop, you will look at: both hot and cold composting and their benefits; how to set up and run successful above-ground and in-ground worm farms; why run multiple composting systems and how each one can be used in your garden; and how to compost and increase soil biodiversity with your Bokashi bin. Organised by Cultivating Community.

Introduction to horticulture – 9 session course; every Monday, starting 7th February, each 9.30am-2.30pm; $50 for all 9 sessions; Edendale.

This is an entry-level course, so it is designed for participants with no prior knowledge or experience in horticulture. Working as a team with fellow participants, you will gain a broad overview and practical, hands-on experience about such topics as: introduction to plant recognition; propagation; planting; soil properties; environmentally sustainable work practices; and career pathways/further study in the horticulture industry. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

Growing mushrooms at home; Saturday, 12th February, 10am-12.30pm; $95 ($38 per hour); Alphington.

Learn how to grow oyster mushrooms from your own home without using expensive kits. Learn how to make your own mushroom growing kits in recycled buckets. Also, tour the mushroom farm. You will take home: the mushroom kit that you made at the workshop plus instructions for how to make more kits. Organised by Sporadical City Mushrooms.

Beginners backyard beekeeping; Saturday, 12th February, 10am-3pm; $220 ($44 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: the inner workings of a bee hive; the healing properties of raw honey; how to maintain a healthy hive, the wonders of swarms and how to keep them in check; and hands-on demonstration of working with a hive. Presenter: Benedict Hughes.

Wine workshop for enthusiasts; Tuesday, 15th February, 7-8.30pm; $40 ($26 per hour); Hawthorn.

Join Lily for a fun introduction to what we can taste from the wine, differences between shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, how to pair food and much more. Organised by Hawthorn Community House.

Complete urban farmer (14 sessions); weekly, starting Thursday, 17th February, 9am-3pm; $880 ($10 per hour); CERES.

Presenters: Justin Calverley and Donna Livermore. The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

The joy of backyard chooks; Thursday, 17th February, 6.30-9pm; $50 ($20 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden (BAAG).

What you will learn: how to get started with keeping chickens in a suburban backyard; how to house and protect chooks from predators; and how chooks can be used to improve your garden and soil. Presented by Tess Gosling. Keeping a few chooks in the backyard used to be a staple of Australian suburban life, and their eggs made up a healthy part of our diet. But even though our house blocks might be shrinking, a smaller backyard doesn’t necessarily mean an end to raising or enjoying them. In this class, you will find out just how easy it is to keep a few hens as pets and as the ultimate garden recyclers, as well as everything you need to know about housing, protecting and feeding them, and lots of practical ideas on how to live harmoniously with them in your garden. Suitable for those who have never kept chooks before.

Gardening in small spaces; Saturday, 19th February, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how to maximise your small space to create an abundant oasis of food, herbs and ornamentals. In particular, you will learn: gardening skills; how to maximise small spaces and grow your own food; and how to transform your balcony. Presenter: Clare.

Make a blue-banded bee apartment block; Saturday, 19th February, 10.30am-midday; $65 ($44 per hour); Abbotsford.

A workshop for all ages and all families; suitable for children accompanied by their parents or carers. Participants will make a mudbrick block for the female blue banded bee. The workshop will also include: learning all about the blue-banded bee nesting habits and how they assist with fertilising plants; what plants will bring the blue-banded bee into your garden; making a blue-banded bee nest using mud and pipe; and advice on how to stack the nests to create an apartment block for the bees. Participants will take home the block that they make. Organised by Cultivating Community.

Healthy productive compost and worms; Sunday, 20th February, 9.30am-12.30pm; $50 ($17 per hour); Bulleen Art and Garden (BAAG).

What you will learn: the importance of compost for soil health; how to fix common composting problems; and setting up and looking after a worm farm.
Presented by Kirsteen Macleod. Learn how to make great compost, the essential ingredient for a thriving and healthy garden. Look at worm farms and Bokashi as other options. They will also show you how to make a DIY worm farm using recycled products.

Winter vegetable gardening; 2 occurences on Saturday, 26th February, each with separate booking arrangements, at 8.45-10.15am and 11am-12.30pm; free; Hawthorn.

Join Teresa Day, from Sustainable Gardening Australia, to receive practical tips and advice on soil preparation, winter plant selection, seeds and seedlings, sustainable pest control and garden maintenance to ensure a thriving and healthy backyard crop. You will also have the opportunity to participate in some hands-on ‘seed’ and ‘soil’ activities. Organised by Boroondara Council.

Growing and cooking with bushfoods; Saturday, 26th February, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to identify and harvest bush foods; how to grow and maintain bush foods in the home garden; and how to incorporate bush foods into everyday recipes. Presenter: Belinda Kennedy. Tour the CERES bush food gardens, learn how to identify, grow and maintain a variety of local bush foods, gain knowledge of bush foods from further afar – tropical delights from the north, peppery spices form the south. During the workshop, you will learn how to incorporate bush foods into simple, tasty and nutritious meals, desserts and snacks. The group will make a bush food inspired lunch and afternoon tea – all food prepared on the day will be vegetarian and vegan friendly.

Beekeeping workshop; Saturday, 26th February, 2.30-5pm; $85 ($34 per hour); Brunswick East.

What you will learn: bee behaviour; the various major items that make up a bee hive and how to construct them; and the major tasks in hive management. What you will get: a wooden beehive frame that will have beeswax foundation inserted as part of the workshop; and a $5 discount on the book Bee AgSkills. There will be live bees and honeycomb to look at in a secure exhibition cabinet and a discussion of bee behaviour and hive management. The major items that make up a hive and their construction will be discussed. The equipment a beekeeper needs to work bees will also be reviewed. The major topics discussed will be: establishing a hive; understanding the tasks to be carried out in Spring; how to go about robbing and extracting honey; and swarm control. Organised by Bee Sustainable.

Beeswax wraps; Sunday, 27th February, 10am-midday; $55 ($28 per hour); Park Orchards.

This workshop will show you how easy beeswax wraps are to make for yourself or as gifts. You will need to bring along with you a piece of material 28cm by 28cm. It must be 100% cotton, non-stretch, pre-washed and free from embellishments. All other materials supplied. Organised by Park Orchards Community House & Learning Centre.

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Many of these events will be restricted to fully vaccinated people only.

Become a junior chocolatier; Numerous occasions on Thursday, 6th January (9-9.45am, 10-10.10.45am, 11-11.45am and midday-12.45pm), Wednesday, 12th January (9-9.45am), Thursday, 13th January (9-9.45am), Wednesday, 19th January (9-9.45am), Thursday, 20th January (9-9.45am), and Saturday, 26th February (10-10.45am); $40 ($53 per hour); Yarra Glen.

In a 45 minute ‘parent-free zone’, children aged 6–12 years can learn from their chocolatiers how to make their very own chocolate creations. Includes personalised badge, chef’s hat and apron, graduation certificate plus take home three chocolate creations to enjoy.

Cook Indian by the creek for kids; Tuesday, 11th January, 11.30am-12.30pm; $39 ($39 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Menu: aloo tikki burger, yoghurt chutney and chickpea salad.

Truffle workshop at Ratio Cocoa Roasters; Sunday, 16th January, 11am-12.30pm; $75 ($50 per hour); Brunswick.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting. Then make your own milk or dark truffles with a selection of toppings.

Cook Indian by the creek for kids; Tuesday, 18th January, 11.30am-12.30pm; $39 ($39 per hour); Diamond Creek.

Menu: aloo parantha (potato stuffed flatbread) and yoghurt mint raita.

Beginners cheese making class; Saturday, 29th January, 10am-3pm; $180 ($36 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make hand-stretched fresh mozzarella and create bocconcini; how to make primo sale; and how to make fresh ricotta. What you will get: gourmet Italian style lunch; and primo sale and freshly made mozzarella to take home. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Beginners bread making; 4 occurences on Sundays, 30th January, 6th February, 20th February and 27th February, each 8am-2pm; $220 ($37 per hour); Abbotsford.

What you will learn: experimenting with bread; the bread baking process with each step explained; and how to replicate the process at home.
What you will get: 1 kilo of organic flour to take home; pizza for lunch, which you make, eat and take home; and an embroidered apron made from 100% Fairtrade cotton. Organised by Convent Bakery

Cannoli making masterclass; Sunday, 30th January, 11am-1pm; $106 ($53 per hour)); Northcote.

Edoardo Nicita, from Shop 225, will show you how make cannoli pastry from scratch. Once you have created your masterpieces, you will then plate and devour your creations with your new found foodie friends!

Tortelloni and ravioli class; Saturday, 5th February, 10am-1.30pm; $125 ($36 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: how to make fresh pasta dough; and how to make tagliatelle, spinach & ricotta tortelli and pumpkin ravioli. What you will get: cheese tasting and drinks; and a That’s Amore apron to take home. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

Mozzarella making class; Sunday, 6th February, 10am-midday; $120 ($60 per hour); Thomastown.

What you will learn: the process behind producing curd; how to make hand-stretched fresh mozzarella; and how to shape mozzarella into bocconcini and trecce. What you will get: guided cheese tasting with a glass of wine; and freshly made mozzarella to take home. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

An Asian street food feast; Sunday, 6th February, 10am-3pm; $180 ($40 per hour); Panton Hill.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. This class will focus on Vietnamese and Thai food for meat lovers. The menu: roast duck treated with a honey, cinnamon and five spice glaze; coconut rice; a pineapple salad with a cumquat, black vinegar and sesame dressing; crying tiger beef salad with a signature hot and sour Thai dressing; cooked prawns in their shells; and water spinach with either dry roasted belacan (shrimp paste) or Vietnamese style with fermented yellow beans and garlic. Then you will sit on the verandah with a local wine or beer and enjoy the feast.

The ultimate biscuit class; 2 occurrences on Tuesdays, 8th February and 22nd February, each 10am-3pm; $160 ($32 per hour); Blackburn.

Learn about flours and how they interact with other ingredients. Learn a variety of techniques and textures to create many different types of biscuits from shortbreads, to fancy petit fours, wedged with ganache and dipped in chocolate. They will cover shelf life, storage, freezing and nutritional input. They will include gluten free, dairy free and nut free recipes. You will take home 1kg of assorted biscuits made in the class plus their recipes. Organised by Sissys Gourmet Delights.

Valentine’s French macaron masterclass; Friday, 11th February, 6-8.30pm; $106 ($42 per hour); Cremorne.

Alexandre Charasse will take you through the process of macaronage, piping, baking and assembling some heart-shaped macarons.

Valentine’s pizza masterclass; Sunday, 13th February, 11am-1pm; $117 ($59 per hour); Northcote.

Edoardo Nicita, from Shop 225, will demonstrate how to create pizza dough from scratch and you will then make a margherita pizza and a nutella calzone. At the end, you will eat the creations with your new found foodie friends!

Sourdough bread baking; Saturday, 19th February, 9am-5pm; $180 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: how to make your own bread; how to make your own handmade pizzas; and more about sourdough. What you will get: handmade pizzas for lunch; and your own bread to take home and some leaven. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

Sourdough bread workshop; Saturday, 19th February, 9-11.30am; $185 ($74 per hour); Brunswick East.

What you will learn: ways to create and look after your own sourdough starter culture; the flour to use for the best nutrition and results; ways to knead sticky high hydration dough for a more authentic sourdough loaf; the equipment needed to produce a great looking and tasting sourdough tin loaf at home; and ways to bake sourdough bread using a bread tin in a home oven. Join Rick Lavender of The Life We Want as he demonstrates this age old process and introduces you to the equipment and skills required to get started baking at home. Organised by Bee Sustainable.

Vegan cooking Italian style; Sunday, 20th February, 10am-3pm; $115 ($23 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: some new vegan dishes; and hands-on learning. Presenter: Daniele. You will be shown a selection of vegan dishes with an Italian flavour and you will finish with a feast. Menu: Napoli sauce; arancini; rosemary and olive focaccia; cavatelli pasta; and chocolate cake.

Truffle workshop at Ratio Cocoa Roasters; Sunday, 20th February, 11am-12.30pm; $75 ($50 per hour); Brunswick.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting. Then make your own milk or dark truffles with a selection of toppings.

Sourdough breadmaking workshop; Wednesday, 23rd February, 10am-1pm; $90 ($30 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Learn how to make sourdough at home. Taught by Sandy Bennett. Participants will learn step-by-step, have the opportunity to ask questions and receive take-home notes. Lunch will be provided. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Demystifying bread; Thursday, 24th February, 6.30-9pm; $60 ($24 per hour); Park Orchards.

Nadine will demonstrate the technique of bread making and baking. Bring a container to take home your dough to bake at home. Suitable for beginners. Organised by Park Orchards Community House & Learning Centre.

Gluten free gnocchi making masterclass; Sunday, 27th February, 11am-1pm; $106 ($53 per hour); Northcote.

Edoardo Nicita, from Shop 225, will show you have to make gnocchi dough plus two accompanying sauces. At the end, you will eat the creations with your new found foodie friends!

In Richmond

Note that there are multiple occurrences of most of the events below.

  • Asian cooking with parents and kids; Sunday, 30th January and Sunday, 13th February, both 2-4pm; $91 ($46 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Saturday, 29th January and Saturday, 12th February, both 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Chinese cooking master class; Friday, 7th January and Friday, 4th February, both 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Cooking with Australian ingredients master class; Friday, 11th February and Sunday, 27th February, both 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Saturday, 8th January, Sunday, 9th January, Saturday, 15th January, Sunday, 16th January, Saturday, 22nd January, Saturday, 29th January, Sunday, 30th January, Saturday, 5th February, Sunday, 6th February, Saturday, 12th February, Sunday, 13th February, Saturday, 19th February, Sunday, 20th February, Saturday, 26th February and Sunday, 27th February, each 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Sunday, 2nd January, 2-4pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Dumpling party; Thursday, 13th January, Thursday, 20th January, Thursday, 27th January, Thursday, 3rd February, Thursday, 10th February, Thursday, 17th February and Thursday, 24th February, each 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour).
  • Gnocchi in tutta l’Italia; Tuesday, 8th February, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Greek cooking master class; Friday, 25th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Saturday, 22nd January and Saturday, 19th February, both 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indian cooking master class; Friday, 28th January and Sunday, 6th February, both 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Indonesian cooking master class; Saturday, 22nd January, 2-4pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Italian cooking master class; Sunday, 27th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Friday, 7th January, Sunday, 16th January and Friday, 4th February, each 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Japanese cooking master class; Sunday, 9th January, Friday, 11th February and Saturday, 19th February, each 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Korean cooking master class; Saturday, 15th January and Sunday, 13th February, both 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Mexican cooking master class; Saturday, 26th February, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Pizza making party; Friday, 28th January and Friday, 25th February, both 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour).
  • Sicilian food; Thursday, 24th February, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour).
  • Spanish cooking master class; Sunday, 16th January and Saturday, 26th February, both 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Friday, 21st January and Friday, 18th February, both 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Street food of Asia; Saturday, 8th January and Saturday, 5th February, both 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Saturday, 8th January and Saturday, 5th February, both 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Thai cooking master class; Friday, 14th January and Friday, 18th February, both 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Vegan cooking master class; Sunday, 30th January and Sunday, 20th February, both 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Sunday, 9th January and Friday, 14th January and Sunday, 6th February, each 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour).
  • Vietnamese cooking master class; Saturday, 12th February, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour).