LFC News April 24

Apr 242024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Anna Matilda, Chris Chapple, Karen Throssell and Sarah Willits.

Baker’s yeast versus sourdough starter

Baker’s yeast is a particular species of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which converts sugar into carbon dioxide and ethanol. The carbon dioxide gas causes the dough to rise, whilst the ethanol either evaporates or is left in the bread. The heat used whilst baking then kills off the yeast. It is the same species, but a different strain, as that used in alcoholic fermentation. It is a manufactured product, grown in vats. It has only been around for the last 150-250 years.

Baker’s yeast is available in a number of different forms, the main differences being the moisture content. The most common form for non-commercial bakers in Australia is ‘dry yeast’, where live yeast cells are encapsulated in a thick jacket of dry, dead cells with some growth medium. Before use, dry yeast is re-hydrated, such that the live yeast can escape its jacket. Note that nutritional yeast is ‘deactivated’ (i.e. dead) Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is eaten for its taste or nutritional value.

A sourdough starter is a much more complicated substance than baker’s yeast. Whilst it will usually contain Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it will also contain a variety of other yeasts. It will also contain lactic acid bacteria, which convert carbohydrates into lactic and other acids plus other substances (it is these acids that give sourdough its sour/tangy taste). And the yeast and bacteria will be in a mixture of flour and water, on which they have been feeding.

A sourdough starter is created by simply mixing flour and water together and leaving it loosely covered but out in the open, after which various yeasts and lactic acid bacteria will, over time, enter from the air and start to feed and breed. Then, regularly remove around half of the starter and add new flour and water, so that the yeasts and bacteria have something new to eat.

Because baker’s yeast is a single substance, the results from using it are very predictable. It will rise bread faster than a sourdough starter. It is also easily available, easy to use and has a long shelf life.

Because a sourdough starter is a mix of substances which will differ somewhat from starter to starter, its results are less predictable. It also imparts a taste to the bread, which some/many people prefer, and results in a chewier texture. There is general agreement that sourdough starters, and more generally long-time fermentation processes, improve bread digestibility. They may also break down some of the gluten. However, a sourdough starter will rise the bread less quickly (and sometimes much less quickly) and requires time and effort to create and maintain.

Baker’s yeast and sourdough starter are interchangeable in most recipes, but non-trivially so. One rule of thumb is that 100g sourdough starter equates to around 3½g (1+ teaspoons) baker’s yeast plus 50g wet ingredients plus 50g dry ingredients.

Read more of my baking articles.

Want a job?

Bundoora Secondary College wants to employ a full-time Urban Agriculture and Environment Program Manager who will maintain the college’s farm, gardens, grounds and equipment. The expected experience/skills include: qualified or experienced gardener/horticulturist or relevant experience (e.g. farming background); experience with animals (e.g. goats, chickens); and backyard construction skills (e.g. fence building, animal enclosure building). Ideally, the applicant will have the flexibility and patience to work alongside teenagers, helping them to take part in school improvement projects. $70-75K pa.

Closing date: 5pm, Friday, 26th April. Read more and potentially apply. You are strongly encouraged to contact Brian Daniells, Assistant Principal, beforehand by phone (9467 1511) or email. Note that the closing date is this coming Friday so you will need to act quickly if you want to apply.

An Alphington Commons?

2 Wingrove Street in Alphington is a 9 acre area of land owned by Darebin Council. A small portion of this land is currently leased to various small businesses, mostly food-related. Some of these businesses (including Farmwall, Melbourne Farmers Markets, Reground and Sporadical City Mushrooms) have recently got together to form a group which they are calling The Alphington Collective.

The Alphington Collective “believes that the site at 2 Wingrove Street, Alphington can be transformed into a space that serves the community and the environment – The Alphington Commons.” Their vision is that “it will combine food precincts, for-purpose business and social enterprises … being the first regenerative mixed-use village.“. Read more.

They have recently launched a petition, which reads “I am calling on Darebin Council to work in active partnership with The Alphington Collective to develop and action a plan for the future use of the land at 2 Wingrove Street, Alphington (‘The Alphington Commons’).” Sign the petition.

The Greensborough pickle parties

As discussed last week, Greenhills Neighbourhood House in Greensborough have made their free ‘pickle party’ events a weekly Friday event during term times, 9-11am. Their first such party was last Friday and Sarah Willits has reported in: “It really was a fun event – with everyone cutting up, contributing ideas and developing their own jars of pickles. Any excess is used for food relief so nothing goes to waste.”

Another article from Angelo Eliades

Spice up your rodent defense with potent chili capsaicin-based repellent sprays.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Another video from Simone Boyd

Immature pumpkins – yes you can eat them.

Simone has two suggestions. The first is to feed them to your highland cows (only potentially applicable to a few people!). The second is to cook them like you would zucchinis (which are a variety of pumpkin which is always eaten when immature).

Achieving blisspoint (a poem by Karen Throssell)

[The poem below comes from a recently published a collection of poems entitled Appetite – the politics of food. You can buy the book online for $25 from Karen’s website.]

Why do we eat what we know is unhealthy?
Processed food devoid of all nutrients
It alters our brain, so we want more and more
Bypasses our natural feelings of hunger

Processed food doing positive harm
When did our produce become packaged product?
Eating makes money – don’t wait for hunger
Chemical agents affect our metabolism

When did our produce become packaged product?
Companies work on creating addiction
Chemical agents affect our metabolism
Our brains are hard wired to respond to rewarding

Taste testers work on achieving ‘Blisspoint’
ultra-processed and ultra addictive
Our brains are hard wired to respond to rewarding
Food is also adjusted for ‘mouth-feel’

‘Mouth feel’ almost important as taste
It alters our brain, so we want more and more
Plus the perfect equation of salt sugar fat
Why do we eat what we know is unhealthy?

Read more food-related poetry by Karen and 11 other newsletter readers on our website.

Every newsletter needs a good picture

Cow banana.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (28th April), Ann Stanley will interview Georgia Savage from The Community Grocer. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Shani Shafrir on therapeutic horticulture (14th April).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Angelo’s beetroot growing guide.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the upcoming Open Cellars of Nillumbik on the weekend of 15th and 16th June.

b33e661f-c100-4ebe-9ffa-847952e0da4e.jpgJoke (or pun) of the week

You go your whole life making a great spanakopita and then, BAM, one day you get 20 people asking for the recipe. Nobody expects the spinach inquisition.

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not local but interesting

Make the most of food with dehydrating; Sunday, 28th April, 11am-1pm; free; Sandringham.

Anna Matilda, aka The Urban Nanna, will take you through some of the simplest and most effective ways to ferment different types of foods. Learn about the science behind fermenting food and have a go at making your own fresh ferment to take home.

Intro to fermentation; Sunday, 23rd June, 11am-1pm; free; Sandringham.

Anna Matilda, aka The Urban Nanna, will take you through some of the simplest and most effective ways to dehydrate different types of foods. Learn the ins and outs of dehydrating and have a go at making a dehydrated blend to take home.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Community cupping; Saturday, 27th April, 9.30-11am; $18 ($12 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Join Market Lane Coffee and The Fermentary for a coffee tasting session. Cupping is a system of tasting and evaluating coffee that is used by roasters to decide which lots they are going to purchase. When coffees are experienced comparatively, their different flavour profiles emerge and you will begin to understand a coffee’s sweetness, acidity or body.

Community garden talk; Tuesday, 30th April, 2-3pm; free; Ringwood.

Kat, from the Central Ringwood Community Centre, will talks about the benefits of a community garden and how the different activities that take place there can engage and inspire you.

Roasted chestnuts and mulled wine at Sylvester Hive; Sunday, 5th May, 2-4pm; free; Preston.

Go along for a social afternoon with locals and enjoy roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and toasted marshmallows. Take something sweet or savoury to share. Everyone welcome.

A taste of permaculture; Wednesday, 8th May, 10-11am; free; Croydon.

Jane Coleman, from Earth and Soul Permaculture, will explain permaculture including what zones are plus the concepts and resources that you need to start your permaculture experience.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 19th May, 10am-4pm; $161 ($27 per hour); Alphington.

You will learn the growing methods for oyster mushrooms, including inoculation & sterilisation, and be introduced to basic mycology. You will undertake practical sessions and learn how to start master cultures. You will also be given a tour of the mushroom farm. Take a clean 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves. Presenter: Button. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Eat the weeds talk and mini market; Sunday, 1st June, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Montrose.

Pat will discuss edible weeds and how to use them. Following the talk, the Montrose Community Cupboard will have a mini market. Those attending the talk will enter the market first.

Edible weeds walk; Sunday, 8th June, 11am-1pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Merri Creek Trail.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.

Traditional wooden spoon carving; Sunday, 23rd June, 10am-4pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

Learn the traditional craft of carving your own kitchen utensils using specialised carving knives and your hands. From a piece of sustainably sourced native timber, carve spoons, butter spreaders, spatulas or spurtles from a piece of wood. You will learn: an age-old craft; the sense of meditation and slowness to be found in whittling life’s essential objects; sourcing sustainable materials; the basics of traditional tool use; and how to safely turn a log into your favourite wooden utensil. Presenter: Alma Arriaga.

The fungus amongst us; Sunday, 23rd June, 11.30am-2pm; $80 ($32 per hour); Alphington.

Explore the Darebin park lands through a fungal lens. Participants will be guided to see and get close to the local world of fungi. The park adventure will be led by local ecologist Dr Sapphire McMullan-Fisher. Julia Laidlaw, from Sporadical City Mushrooms, will then share the world of zero waste mushroom farming at her farm on the edge of the park land.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Food preserving and using leftovers; Saturday, 4th May, 2.30-5pm; free; Richmond.

Learn the basic techniques for bottling olives, drying herbs/fruits, jams and pickles, as well as ways to store food and use leftovers to minimise food waste. Presenter: Maria Ciavarella. Organised by My Smart Garden.

Charcuterie board masterclass (grazing board); Sunday, 26th May, 10am-midday; $134 ($67 per hour); Richmond.

Kaitlyn, from Good Food Grazing, will teach you how to create the perfect charcuterie board with a variety of meats, cheeses and fruits. Enjoy a free mocktail and baked sweet treat. Take home a large grazing board of food.

Japanese cooking 101; on 3 consecutive Fridays, starting 7th June, 10.30am-midday; $85 ($19 per hour); Greensborough.

Week 1: dashi stock and miso soup. Week 2: gohan (steamed rice) and onigirazu (rice sandwich). Week 3: vegetarian side dishes. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Sourdough workshop; Saturday, 15th June, 10am-1pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Bayswater North.

You will learn: the equipment needed to produce a sourdough; what kind of flour to use; the principal steps of bread making; what bread dough looks and feels like at its various stages of preparation and development; the processes of sourdough fermentation, mixing, kneading, folding and baking; Baker’s percentage and hydration; shaping loaves into a proofing basket, scoring and ways how to bake sourdough bread using a home oven; maintaining a starter and starter care; and ways how to create and look after your own sourdough starter culture. Take home: a piece of dough ready to be baked at home; a fresh sourdough starter and dry back up sourdough starter; flour to feed your starter; and a bowl cover. What to take: a bowl, tea towel, apron and good mood. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Cooking with induction; Saturday, 22nd June, 10-11am; free; Camberwell.

Open Table who will demonstrate how easy it is to cook nutritious, healthy, low emissions meals on an induction cooktop.

Sri Lankan cooking class; Saturday, 22nd June, 11am-1.30pm; $90 ($36 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Experience the tastes, smells and sounds of Sri Lankan cooking. You will learn how to make a chicken curry dish, dhal with spinach, brinjal moju (eggplant) and Sri Lankan special yellow rice. Afterwards, you will sit down and enjoy a Sri Lankan feast. Organised by Balwyn Community Centre.

Cooking with induction; Saturday, 22nd June, midday-1pm; free; Camberwell.

Open Table who will demonstrate how easy it is to cook nutritious, healthy, low emissions meals on an induction cooktop.

Fermenting at home; Sunday, 23rd June, 10am-1pm; $120 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will learn the basics of making your own sauerkraut, fermented seasonal vegetables and kombucha plus how to use fermented products in day-to-day life. You will take home your own jars of vegetables to ferment at home plus a kombucha SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 17

Apr 162024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Anna Matilda, Bil Brosch, Cath Lyons, Edie Schmutter, Eve Fraser, Janelle Dunstan, Marcela Santos, Melissa Houselander, Pat Natoli, Pauline Crosbie, Sim Ritchie and Vanessa Veldman.

Montrose Community Cupboard

Montrose Community Cupboard is much more than a community pantry and undertakes a wide range of activities in pursuit of its mission to rescue food from landfill and re-distribute it to the local community.

They have two community pantries, a weekly Saturday market and monthly community meals. Whilst one of their community pantries has been around for some time, the other initiatives are all relatively recent.

Like many local pantries, their motto is “give what you can, take what you need“.

The two community pantries are located at Japara Bridge House, 49 Durham Road, Kilsyth and Montrose Church of Christ, 7 Leith Road, Montrose. The Kilsyth pantry is open 24/7 and has been around for some time, whilst the Montrose one is open Monday-Saturday 7am-9pm and Sunday midday-8pm and is newly opened. Members of the public can take what they want and are also invited to leave veggies, fruit, herbs, plants, seeds, seedlings or any non-perishable items.

The weekly market is on Saturdays, 3-4pm at either Japara Bridge House, 49 Durham Road, Kilsyth or Montrose Scout Hall, Unit 2/950, Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Montrose. See their website for which markets will be at which locations. All the food at the market is free.

The free, monthly, two course, community meals are usually on the 4th Sunday of each month, 6-7.30pm, at Montrose Public Hall, 1B Leith Road, Montrose. Everyone is welcome, as are donations of non-perishable food. Occasionally, due to holidays etc, the meals are sometimes at lunch time or don’t happen so check their Facebook page for details. Read an article about the meals in the Lilydale Star Mail.

Finally, they have a street library (books, dvds, etc) at 16 St James Avenue, Montrose.

Great work Pat and Sim!

More on warrigal greens

Following last week’s article on warrigal greens, Bil Brosch has written in: “I recently attended a workshop entitled ‘growing bush tucker’ with Aunty Jo Russell. A Wiradjuri woman, Aunty Jo spoke about the way that she uses warrigal greens – small leaves are picked and used fresh while the bigger leaves and stems are steamed. Steaming warrigal greens was a revelation to me and something that I’ll definitely try. I usually turn warrigal greens into pesto, my kids love pesto/pasta and it’s an awesome way to get more greens into them.”

SEEDs Communal Garden were on Gardening Australia

SEEDs Communal Garden, in Brunswick, featured on last Friday’s Gardening Australia program. Watch the 8 minute video.

An exhibition of old style kitchen equipment

As part of Australian Heritage Festival 2024, Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society has organised an exhibition of kitchen implements, tools and appliances used from the mid-1800s through to the early part of the 20th Century. On Sundays, 21st April, 28th April, 5th May and 12th May, each 2-5pm. At Schramms Cottage, Rieschiecks Reserve, Muriel Green Drive, Doncaster East.

‘Crowd harvest’ – seeds for Mother’s Day

Gardeners with excess seeds for edibles are invited to send them by post with a greeting for Mother’s Day to the Therapeutic Horticulturalist, Odyssey House Lower Plenty, 28 Bonds Road, Lower Plenty, 3093. Please send viable, open pollinating seeds and package them in individual and labelled packages. The people at Odyssey House will then grow them. The program runs from 1st May to 15th May.

Odyssey House has recently employed a therapeutic horticulturalist trained in permaculture approaches to assist residents on a journey towards healing. There is a large hot house, raised garden beds and land to commence a full horticultural therapeutic coaching program to assist the residents towards healing and healthy lifestyles.

Dan’s flower garden at Alphington Farmers’ Market

Someone called Dan apparently regularly does some gardening in the front garden of the Alphington Farmers’ Market. Here is a little blog piece that he has written about it.

Another article from Angelo

Beetroot growing guide.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Cornstarch versus cornflour

In Australia and the UK, the words cornstarch and cornflour are used interchangeably to refer to the starch derived from corn grain.

In the USA, however, the word cornflour is used to refer to a flour made from corn kernels.

Chicken and veg frittata (by Pauline Crosbie)

[This week’s recipe by newsletter reader Pauline Crosbie is from Diamond Valley Community Support’s recently published Creative community cookbook – fighting waste and fighting hunger, which focuses on using leftovers and zero-waste cooking.]

Serves 4. Prep time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes.

Ingredients

6 large eggs
1 cup leftover dip (e.g. Greek yoghurt or hummus)
250g leftover cooked chicken pieces without bones (thighs, breasts, tenderloins) or shredded chicken
3 cups cooked leftover vegetables, cubed
1 cup fresh chopped herbs (any combination to your liking)
½ cup grated leftover cheese (any) or more to taste

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180degC.

Place the eggs in a bowl and whisk lightly.

Add the dips and whisk to create a creamy mixture.

Mix through the cheeses.

In an oven proof baking dish, spread evenly the cooked chicken and vegetables. Pour over the egg mixture and decorate with herbs.

Cook for 20 minutes or until the top is golden.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (21st April), Ann Stanley will interview Murnong Mummas on Indigenous food connections. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Regan Defoe on Fawkner Food Bowls (7th April).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the CERES olives to oil page.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the grow your own garlic event on 19th April in Bayswater North.

b33e661f-c100-4ebe-9ffa-847952e0da4e.jpgJoke (or pun) of the week

What does it take for a cucumber to become a pickle? A jarring experience.

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

Note that The Food Collective Market, Epping is now on Tuesdays rather than Thursdays.

Food swaps
Community gardens

Note that the weekly sessions at Panton Hill Community Garden have moved to Fridays.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Sustainable living for renters; Sunday, 21st April, 1.30-4pm; free; Box Hill.

Anna Matilda, aka The Urban Nanna, will help you upskill on lots of small sustainable actions that you can use in your daily life. Learn about: reducing waste (and lowering costs) in the kitchen; budget ways to grow your own food; simple steps to cutting your energy bills down; and ways to manage your water usage.

There will be lots of giveaways at the event including: a worm farm; a compost bin; a zine containing simple sustainable skills from Catie Payne and Su Dennett; a weed zine from permaculture art activist Brenna Quinlan; and copies of some of Anna’s own educational booklets.

Composting – a different approach with Diana Cotter; Tuesday, 23rd April, 11.15am-12.15pm; free; Fawkner.

Diana Cotter will introduce you to the concept of compost bins and worm farms, what happens inside them and how to keep bacteria and worms happy. Learn about different types of compost bins to suit gardens of all sizes, recycling the contents of your green bin and exactly what you can put in the compost.

Compost … nature’s climate champion! (family event); Saturday, 4th May, 10-11.30am; free; Ringwood.

Celebrate the start of International Compost Awareness Week. Take part in interactive activities and games as a family and learn what makes the perfect compost recipe as well as why compost critters are so important.

Farm Raiser community day and morning tea; Saturday, 4th May, 10am-2pm; free; Bellfield.

Many immigrants to Australia find it challenging to cook their recipes because the crops they treasure at home aren’t easily available here. Farm Raiser would like to help and try to grow some of these crops. They are therefore launching a new project to diversify the crops that they are growing. They have already introduced taro, cassava, 5 types of sweet potato, oca/NZ yam, yam beans and chinese yam to their fields, but they want even more variety. You are invited to the farm for a tour and morning tea where you can discuss what crops you miss from your home country. The Farm Raiser team encourages you to bring seeds, seedlings and cuttings of plants, as well as growing instructions, recipes and stories from home. They will then propagate the plants in their nursery and plant them out in a dedicated space which you will be able to visit. You will finish the day with a short working bee to prepare the space for the new crops. Feel free to take a plate to share for morning tea.

The photo right is of the taro and cassava that Farm Raiser are currently growing.

Coloured pencil persimmon workshop; Saturday, 25th May, 10am-4pm; $120 ($20 per hour); Park Orchards.

This workshop is tailored for individuals at an advanced beginner to intermediate level in drawing and beginner level in coloured pencils. Delve into the rich palette of persimmon. Work on various angles of presenting persimmon fruit for drawing, and investigate tools which will allow you to draw the specimen correctly and not rely on photographic material. Explore unique perspectives and angles to depict leaves and fruit, enhancing your drawing skills. Tutor: Miffy Gilbert. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Open Cellars of Nillumbik; Saturday, 15th June and Sunday, 16th June, both 11am-5pm; free; Nillumbik.

Visit any or all of the family-owned wineries in Nillumbik. This is a chance to sample wines at wineries not always open to the public. You will also find food to complement the wine, as well as live music and artworks from local artists at some venues. There is no entry fee, or tasting fee, at any of the venues. The participating wineries usually include: Buttermans Track, Easthill Estate, Hildebrand Ridge Organic Vineyard, Kings of Kangaroo Ground, Nillumbik Estate, Panton Hill Vineyard & Winery, Punch Wines, Shaws Road Winery, Swipers Gully Vineyard, Watson’s Creek Wines, Wedgetail Estate and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard.

Design your own garden; Saturday, 15th June, 10am-3pm; $145 ($29 per hour); CERES.

So you want to create your own edible oasis, but you just don’t know where to start? This workshop will focus on: defining what you really want from your garden; understanding your garden through site analysis; developing a base plan; plant choice and how and where to grow them; and incorporating animals into the garden design. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Bulleen Heights School cooking class (8 sessions); on 8 consecutive Wednesdays from 1st May, 11.15am-12.45pm; $192 ($16 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

This course is for teenagers. Each week you will learn to make a main course. Take an apron and tea towel. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani. Run in partnership with Bulleen Heights School.

Raw food treats cooking workshop; Saturday, 4th May, 1-4pm; $175 ($58 per hour); Camberwell.

Jo-Anne Grist will demonstrate how to make: raw pistachio slice; raw chocolate brownie with pistachios; raw mini mango cheesecakes; lemon and coconut bliss balls; and fresh summer berry rocky road, You will take home a box of raw treats.

Zero waste cooking; Saturday, 25th May, 11am-midday; free; Forest Hill.

Learn how to cook sustainably with minimal waste and using an induction cooktop. Presenter: Alice Zaslavsky. Organised by Strathdon House.

Veggies in desserts; Saturday, 15th June, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Learn how to create healthier versions of your old favourites. The desserts are dairy-free and gluten-free using a variety of ingredients: nuts, seeds, vegetables, whole grains, fats, spices, legumes and unrefined sugars. The menu will include: chocolate kidney bean slice; spiced pumpkin donuts; rich chocolate beetroot truffles; lime + spinach cake; strawberry + cauliflower cheesecake; and sweet veggie mousse. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

Greenbrook Community House in Epping have made their ‘let’s get cooking’ events a weekly Monday event during term times, midday-2pm. $10 per session.

Greenhills Neighbourhood House in Greensborough have made their ‘pickle party’ events a weekly Friday event during term times, 9-11am. Free. No need to book – just turn up.

LFC News April 10

Apr 102024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Chris Chapple, Hayden Marks, Karen Throssell and Selvie Balaratnam.

Warrigal greens (Tetragonia tetragonioides) by Melbourne Bushfood

[The material below is a summary of material from the Melbourne Bushfood website. Melbourne Bushfood sells a wide range of bush foods (both the foods themselves and the plants) which you can buy either online or at their shop at 49 Sparks Avenue, Fairfield, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.]

As suggested by its alternative common name of New Zealand spinach, the leaves of warrigal greens taste a bit like English spinach but with a crunchier texture (so it’s less like eating a leaf). Because of their high level of oxalates, the leaves need to be blanched before eating. You can then cook and use the leaves as you would spinach, including sautéing, stir-frying or cooked in a quiche or pie.

The plant is a groundcover, spreading to around 2 metres. Plant in full sun or part shade. As it’s only able to handle light frosts, you will want to keep your plant sheltered. It is suitable for growing in pots. It is reasonably drought tolerant but will still need watering in summer.

Harvest individual leaves when they reach roughly the size of your hand. Avoid the woody stems as they can be tough and difficult to eat.

Read about more bush foods on our website.

Olives to oil by CERES

Olives to Oil is an annual event run by CERES where people drop off their olives, which are then pressed and turned into olive oil, which the people then pick up. This year’s event is for residents of Darebin, Merri-Bek and Yarra. The olives can be dropped off at CERES on either Sunday, 5th May or Sunday, 19th May, with the olive oil being picked up on Sunday, 16th June. If you have less than 20Kg of olives, then the service is free. Read more and potentially book your place.

Newsletter reader tip: get more pesto for your buck

Here is a tip from DIVRS, who are based in Preston. Parmesan and pinenuts are classic pesto additions but they can be budget busters. Instead of pinenuts, use any nuts that you have in the cupboard or just leave them out. Parmesan can be swapped for nutritional yeast flakes, which tastes similar. Add some leafy greens (e.g. silverbeet or kale) to stretch your pesto further and to increase its nutritional punch – just steam them for a couple of minutes first.

If you’d like to join the Darebin Urban Growers and learn how to grow basil and other herbs and veggies, email them (urbanfood@divrs.org.au).

Merri-bek is developing a new food system strategy

They want to hear from anyone who is interested in creating an alternative local food system in Merri-bek which is sustainable, just and vibrant. Closing date: Friday, 19th April. Read more. Have you say.

The Green Harvest online gardening supplies store is no more

The owners have apparently retired. It was one of the main sources of Certified Organic veggie seeds.

Sri Lankan pumpkin curry (by Selvie Balaratnam)

[Selvie is the co-owner of Selba Farm, who sell olive oil on most Sundays at Eltham Farmers’ Market. Although the farm is in Toolleen, Selvie actually lives in Mernda.]

Ingredients

500g pumpkin
1 medium size onions
100-150 ml coconut milk (or more if you wish; I use the tinned TCC coconut milk)
2 medium size green chillies (optional) or a teaspoon of curry powder(optional)
olive oil
2 tablespoons salt to taste

Method

Chop the onions into small pieces and simmer them in olive oil in a frying pan.

The pumpkin should be cut into 1cm cubes without the skin and the seeds.

When the onions are golden brown in colour, add the pumpkin pieces and the chillies to the pan and cook in low heat so that the pumpkin pieces get cooked. Let it cook for a while covering the pan with a lid. The pumpkin will cook in its own juice.

When the pumpkin is soft and cooked, add salt to taste and add the coconut milk.

Mix the contents well, mash the pumpkin pieces slightly with the back of the spoon and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes.

Serve with rice, cooked pasta, or bread.

Seed (a poem by Karen Throssell)

[The poem below comes from a recently published a collection of poems entitled Appetite – the politics of food. You can buy the book online for $25 from Karen’s website.]

I remember warm dark days
before-days, when comfort-coiled
I waited for signs – drips of damp
tempting my tightness. Slowly I unfold
stretch. Now I know there is an Up
to aim for. I straighten, thrust.
Suddenly this burst of bright!
Mother released me.

I don’t remember this being part of the deal.
Just going about my business
with sun and rain—my perfect green
slow-grow. So what’s this on the wind,
the devil’ s mad brew?
Too fast, too tall, all show
roots can’t support – goodness all gone
Mother won’t be pleased.

And here we have her vengeance
Think you can bend me to your will?
Screw you, and your poisonous greed
And she groans, roars and cracks
wide open, gaping wound to be plugged
by them and all their detritus.
But who will survive her wrath? Why me.
She is my mother – I am reborn.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (14th April), Ann Stanley will interview Shani Shafrir on therapeutic horticulture. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Rob Rees on Cultivating Community (31st March).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the survey questionnaire on a possible repair cafe at Edendale.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the autumn harvest celebration day at Alowyn Gardens on 6th April.

b33e661f-c100-4ebe-9ffa-847952e0da4e.jpgJoke (or pun) of the week

I was the pianist in a piano bar. A customer walks up to me and asks “Can you play Strawberry Fields Forever?”

I replied, “No, after a few hours my fingers get tired.”

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Grow your own garlic; Friday, 19th April, 10-10.45am; free; Bayswater North.

You will be given a hands-on demonstration on how to prepare the garden bed, as well as tips on planting, watering, harvesting and storage. You will also be given a bulb of garlic to plant at home (around 7-9 plantable cloves per bulb). Presenter: Kirsten Jones from Mirboo Farm in South Gippsland.

Back to basics composting; Thursday, 9th May, 6.30-8pm; free; Epping.

Learn how to set up, utilise and maintain various food waste recycling systems.

Winter gardening workshop; Saturday, 11th May, 11am-midday; free; Watsonia.

Angelo Eliades will discuss what to plant for a winter crop, the tasks that we carry out in winter, how to protect some crops from frosts and how to deal with waterlogging from rains.

Essential garden infrastructure for a thriving garden; Wednesday, 5th June, 7-9pm; free; Doncaster.

What tools and infrastructure do you need to run a flourishing food garden, and how to get it for free? Kat Lavers, from The Plummery, will talk about garden tools and infrastructure including alternatives to pots, stakes, shade cloth, nets, buckets, ties and what to look out for in hard rubbish, skips and op shops. She will also cover which tools are actually worth investing a few dollars in and how to look after them. The presentation will start at 7pm but there will be sandwiches and a food swap at 6.45pm.

Permaculture Design Course (12 sessions); 10 Thursday sessions, starting 6th June, 9am-4pm, plus 2 Saturday sessions; $595 ($7 per hour); Bayswater North.

The topics to be covered will include: theory and principles of permaculture; creating integrated ecosystems; animals in permaculture; drought-proofing landscapes; soil rehabilitation and soil erosion control; managing bushfire risk; nutrient dense food production; water harvesting and management; ecological building and passive solar design; energy conservation techniques; recycling and sustainable waste management; and building personal and local community resilience. Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Edible weeds; Saturday, 8th June, 10am-midday; $70 ($35 per hour); CERES.

Learn about the seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne’s inner north and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses. This session will also include a demonstration, and sampling, of prepared edible weeds. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

In April
In May
In June
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Plant-based cooking with Betty Chetcuti; Friday, 12th April, 11am-midday; free; Lilydale.

Betty Chetcuti, author of My Vegan Cookbook, will show you how to create plant-based dishes that will satisfy, nourish and nurture your body.

One pot wonders of the world – hainanese chicken; Friday, 26th April, 5-7pm; $95 ($48 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to poach chicken. Make two different dipping sauces to accompany the dish: a spicy chilli sauce and a salty soy and ginger sauce. Use chicken broth and garlic to flavour your rice. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Cooking for one (5 sessions); on 5 consecutive Thursdays, starting 2nd May, 11am-1pm; $50 ($5 per hour); Lilydale.

Learn how to cook easily just for one person. Make the meals each week and eat together what you have made. Organised by Lilydale Community House.

Taiwanese fermentation and preserve techniques with Cristina Chang; Sunday, 5th May, 11am-2pm; $225 ($75 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Cristina Chang will show you how to make the classic Taiwanese dish, soy braised pork belly bass (aka gua bao). Learn the basics of fermentation and preserve your own mustard greens to take home, how to make and steam buns from scratch and how to make gua bao and spring onion knots. At the end, enjoy the dishes made in class at a communal dining table and take the rest of your hard work home.

In April
In May
In June
Regular classes

LFC News April 3

Apr 032024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Brian Daniells, Chris Chapple, Duang Tengtrirat, Karina King, Marisa Fiume, Rachel Levin and Rob Rees.

Urban farming at Bundoora Secondary College

Bundoora Secondary College has an Urban agriculture and conservation program which is “designed to provide their students with opportunities to learn agricultural science, environmental science, technology, engineering and mathematics through experience with and exposure to agricultural practices, with a focus on sustainability.”

As illustrated in the photo right, they have 44 ‘Foodcubes’ in full production. These picturesque garden beds were on display at the recent Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

A Foodcube is a raised wicking garden bed made from 80% recycled plastic. Each bed holds around 100 litres of water in its base so they only need watering about once a fortnight during the hottest summers. Individual cubes are around 1 metre by 1 metre, but they can be linked together for watering purposes. Watch this video.

The college is working with both Foodcube and Local Food Connect to further develop its farm.

Staff and students were at last Sunday’s Eltham Farmers’ Market to sell some of their produce and are also planning to be at the 14th April market.

Strathdon House Kitchen Garden in Forest Hill

Strathdon House Kitchen Garden in Forest Hill is open to the public during house opening hours. At 449–465 Springvale Road.

The kitchen garden was established in 2019. It comprises around 20 garden beds and wicking beds of varying sizes and heights to cater for use by the community of different age groups (including children) and abilities. A group of volunteers plant, maintain and harvest the vegetable and herb crops. They also have seasonal planting and harvesting activities that members of the community are invited to participate in.

The kitchen garden is located in the grounds of Strathdon House, where a wide range of workshops focusing on environmental sustainability, health and wellbeing, including cooking workshops, take place. Produce harvested from the kitchen garden is sometimes used in these workshops.

Strathdon House itself was originally built in 1893 and its associated orchard was around 40 acres in size in the early 20th Century. The remaining two acres of this orchard is the last of its kind in Whitehorse City Council, with a variety of fruit trees including apples and plums.

They are always on the lookout for more volunteers to join the team in either the garden or the house.

To discuss any aspect of the community garden, contact Marisa Fiume from Whitehorse Council by email or phone (9262 6158). Or go to their website.

The Forest Hill Urban Harvest (aka food swap) is held in the garden on the 3rd Saturday of each month, 10-11.30am.

Welcome Marisa and Petrina!

There are now pages for 4 community gardens from Whitehorse on our website.

A repair cafe at Edendale?

Edendale Farm is currently considering the feasibility of running a regular repair cafe. To help them decide, they have developed a brief survey for members of the public to complete. The survey only takes a couple of minutes to complete. Complete the survey.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During March, the cooking teams were 1st Mitcham Scouts (see photo right), Blackburn Lions, Stable One, Team Random and The Running Mummas. Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

Some community garden news

Croxton / Marra Guwiyap, in Northcote, recent held a preserving workshop. Here are some photos from the event.

Sylvester Hive, in Preston, held an Easter family day event. Here are some photos from the event.

The leek and celery giveaway

Thanks to Amy, Ann, Boqi, Carrie, Cathy, John, Lenny, Nerida and Rita for picking up some leek and celery seedlings over the last week. That makes a total of 35 people over the last fortnight. The seedlings have now all gone.

Another article by Angelo

The do’s and don’ts of using sawdust for composting.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Tomatoes loves banana skins (by Duang Tengtrirat)

I (Duang) have been growing tomatoes every summer for at least 40 years. Generally speaking, they have done well but this year was different. The tomato plants were prolific, producing beautiful healthy and delicious fruits. Unlike other years, they made me feel more connected to them, to my past and in odd ways to myself too.

When I was a young child, my family had an orchard with mango, lychee and rose apple trees in Nan, Northern Thailand. I learned to grow vegetables there and to take them to market each morning. To mark the boundaries of the orchard, we grew bananas. This meant that we had copious amount of bananas all year round. Bananas everywhere! Green, ripe and over ripe! Returning from school, my mother had ready for me a basket with one hand of bananas. It was just the right weight for a five year old. I walked up and down the street selling a hand of bananas. Often someone bought them and, when I returned home, I would take another hand of bananas and walk in the opposite direction. This was a daily task and all the children in the family had other jobs. As I got older, I resented having to do this but someone had to do it. Being the youngest of the family, that someone was me.

My mother turned the overripe bananas into sundried bananas which kept for a long time. We bundled them up and sold them too. Drying bananas meant that we peeled them before cutting them lengthwise and drying them in the sun. At the end of preparing many hands of bananas, we had buckets of banana skins. These skins would go back to the orchard with me and get chopped into small pieces. They went back into the buckets, each less than half full. Then I filled the buckets to the brim with water, covered them up with a lid and left them for at least a week to ferment.

Once a week, the fermented banana skins went to water fruit trees or fruiting vegetables such as eggplants, cucumbers and chillies. My mother told me that leafy vegetables didn’t like bananas but fruiting vegetables do.

I left home when I was 16. Although I have been growing vegetables every year, I had not done anything with banana peels again. In fact, I seldom ate bananas feeling that I had had enough of them. Last year, I went back to my home in Nan and renovated part of the old house. Memories of my mother and the ways she lived, cooked, planted her gardens came back as if it were yesterday.

In October 2023, a very competent local farmer who is a dear friend gave me 20 seedlings of heritage tomatoes. I planted them and began to ferment banana skins and have been feeding the tomatoes with the fermented bananas once a week. This summer I have only fruiting vegetables: eggplants, capsicums, chillies, cucumbers and tomatoes. All of them have had nutrients from fermented banana skins. There is a bucket in the garden just like what I had in the family Nan garden many decades ago.

The connection with my mother has never been stronger. I hear her guidance, feel her presence and appreciate her wisdom in real time. My respect and gratitude to her, a woman who never had any schooling but had intrinsic wisdom to understand that banana skins, chock full of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, can be used as fertiliser for fruiting plants. How did she even know that by fermenting them first they became gentler on the plants even though banana skins can be placed directly on to the soil. Without fermenting, it takes longer to breakdown. How did my mother even know that banana skins have little or no nitrogen and therefore are not helpful to leafy greens. Lessons from my mother were all from what she did, how she did it and not from the spoken or written words at all.

Even one banana a day is still good to start fermenting in a clean plastic bucket with a lid. A kind of white foam starts on the top of the water and there’s either no smell, or only a slight sweet smell, from the fermenting banana skins. All fruiting vegetables and trees will thank you for this natural and simple fertiliser.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (31st March), Ann Stanley will interview Murnong Mummas on indigenous food. Listen on 3CR (855 AM), 10-10.30am, by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Jules Jay on the Edible Hub at Hurstbridge (24th March).

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was my baking articles.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the upcoming Kalorama Chestnut Festival on 5th May.

Word of the month – Astringency

Astringency, meaning the dry, puckering or numbing mouthfeel caused by the tannins in unripe fruits and some ripe fruits.

Read about previous words of the month.

Proverb (or phrase) of the month

You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Meaning: it is more effective to be polite and kind than to be hostile or demanding.. This phrase is of Italian origin and dates back to the 17th Century. It was then popularised in the USA by Benjamin Franklin in the mid 18th Century through its inclusion in his book Poor Richard’s Almanack.

Note that it is actually a matter of some dispute whether flies are more attracted to honey than they are to vinegar. And it is apparently not the case for Queensland fruit fly.

Read about more food-related proverbs.

Gardening quote of the month

“No single sort of garden suits everyone. Shut your eyes and dream of the garden you’d most love then open your eyes and start planting. Loved gardens flourish, boring ones are hard work.” by Jackie French.

Read more gardening quotes.

b33e661f-c100-4ebe-9ffa-847952e0da4e.jpgJoke (or pun) of the week

Thanks to everyone who voted in the naming competition for this section. The result was in doubt until the very end, when joke (or pun) of the week edged the win by 54% to 46%.

If:
Peanut oil is made from peanuts.
Olive oil is made from olives.
Corn oil is made from corn.

Then:
What is baby oil made from?

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not (quite) local but interesting

Both of the events below are at the Rooftop Farm at Burwood Brickworks. Burwood Brickworks is a shopping centre but it is noticeably different than your average shopping centre, with lots of plants, natural light, recycled timber, solar panels and other eco-friendly features. At 70 Middleborough Road, Burwood East. The farm itself is on the roof of the shopping centre and covers around ½ an acre. It is open to the public whenever the shopping centre is open and is well worth a visit. The farm is managed by Cultivating Community. Here is a short drone video of the farm.

Cultivating heritage; cultural gardening for CALD women; Tuesday, 23rd April and again on Thursday, 9th May, both 11am-midday; free; Burwood East.

These two workshops are for women from diverse cultural backgrounds who speak different languages. Together, you will learn about gardening and cooking in ways that celebrate your unique cultures.

Rooftop garden volunteer club; monthly, starting 4th May, 9-11am; free; Burwood East.

This monthly gathering will include activities to keep the space green and the potential to take home some seasonal produce as a thank you. Help them and connect with new friends. Register your interest by going to their volunteering page and choosing the ‘Saturday morning volunteer club’ option for the ‘Please tell us what you are currently interested in registering or enquiring about?’ question.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Backyard chickens; Monday, 8th April, 2-3pm; free; Ringwood.

Claire will discuss how to care for your chickens and their housing and maintenance requirements.

Gardening for kids; Tuesday, 9th April, 10am-2pm; $50 ($13 per hour); Preston.

Uncover the mysteries of soil life and the magic of plant propagation. Dive deep into the world beneath our feet and discover how seeds transform into flourishing plants. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Food cushion – ages 6+; Thursday, 11th April, 10-11.30am; $45 ($30 per hour); Camberwell.

For ages 6+. Draw, paint and decorate your own food cushion. You could make a cute ice cream, yummy strawberry or tasty hamburger to sleep on. The cushion will be sewn by the instructor.

Small space gardening (5 sessions); on Tuesdays, starting 23rd April, 9.30am-1.30pm; $127 ($6 per hour); Preston.

Want to grow your own food but don’t know where to begin? In this course, you will learn the principles of food growing in small spaces, including: how to design, build and maintain a productive garden; understanding soil health; small site assessment; plant choice, including companion gardening; plant propagation; community resilience – food growing for community building; and the wellbeing benefits of garden-based activities. Presenter: Shani Shafrir. Organised by Bridge Darebin.

Hot compost; Sunday, 28th April, 2-3pm; free; Reservoir.

Learn all about hot composts – what they are, how they work, what goes in them and how to look after them – all while you make a hot compost! Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden. Click here to read about the garden.

Basin backyard beekeeping; Monday, 29th April, 10-11am; free; Ringwood.

The team from the Basin Backyard will discuss beekeeping, the health benefits of honey and all other bee-related information.

Bushfoods and indigenous plants; Thursday, 2nd May, 2-3pm; free; Northcote.

Tully Gibbons, an Aboriginal Educator at the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, will discuss Wurundjeri bushfoods and the ecology of indigenous plant life.

Backyard beekeeping basics; Sunday, 2nd June, 11am-1pm; $80 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will learn about: the history and biology of a colony of European honey bees; protective clothing and occupational health and safety; hive components and assembly; bee biology and seasonal management; legislation; diseases and pests of bees; extracting honey; inspecting hive for disease; purchasing hives; and other products from the hive. Presenter: Ashton Edgley.

In April
In May
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Croquembouche workshop; Saturday, 20th April, 1.30-5.30pm; $137 ($34 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will teach you the art of making croquembouche, starting with how to make the choux pastry and the creme patisserie and then how to cook toffee and build the croquembouche. A limit of 4 participants in total. Take an apron, a container to put extra profiteroles in and something to carry the croquembouche (base of a container at least 20cm). Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani.

Yes chef! Cooking school for ages 8-13 (4 sessions); on Wednesdays, starting 1st May, 4-5.30pm; $192 ($32 per hour); Brunswick East.

Each week will focus on different aspects of running a kitchen, like mise en place (French for “put in place”), safety and food hygiene, playing to our strengths (and the strengths of our team), how to work in a brigade, food storage, flavour profiles & ingredients and cleaning up. You will prep and cook a different meal each week, including lasagna, pie, cake and a roast dinner. Presenter: Cook Murph from Suntop Plaza. Organised by NECCHi.

Blokes in the kitchen (2 sessions); Fridays, 10th May and 14th June, each 9am-midday; $90 ($15 per hour); Surrey Hills.

Learn how to prepare simple meals with other blokes under Shawn’s guidance. Enjoy a shared meal and conversation to finish the session. Organised by Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Kefir making; Sunday, 12th May, 11am-3pm; $91 ($23 per hour); Forest Hill.

Learn how to make milk kefir. Take home your own kefir making kit and grains. Organised by Strathdon House.

Sourdough bread making; Saturday, 18th May, 10am-1pm; $55 ($18 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to make sourdough bread. You will make a pizza base to enjoy together and you will make a bread dough ready to bake the following day at home. You will also be given a starter so that you can continue to make bread at home. Take an apron, tea towel, sealable container and jar with a screw top lid. Tutor: John. Organised by Living & learning Nillumbik.

Mozzarella making class; Saturday, 25th May, 10am-midday; $150 ($75 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.

Fermenting; Saturday, 1st June, 10am-1pm; $150 ($50 per hour); Kinglake.

You will learn how to make five simple ferments (kim chi, sauerkraut, lacto-fermented pickles, wild-fermented kombucha and sourdough mother) on the day and take them home. A light lunch will be provided including local breads, ferments, cheeses, preserves and pickles. Organised by Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

Preserving the season’s harvest; Saturday, 1st June, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

You will learn how make jams, pastes, pickles and the art of basic canning so that you can preserve your home harvest and extend your seasonal produce year-round. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

Vegan cooking European style; Sunday, 2nd June, 10am-3pm; $150 ($30 per hour); CERES.

The menu will include: pierogi ruskie (Poland and Ukraine); apfelrotkohl (Germany and Central Europe); Swedish meatballs (Swedish, but also all over Europe); tiramisu (Italian); tortilla de patatas (Spanish); and spanakopita (Greek). Presenter: Nase Supplitt.

In April
In May
Regular classes