Calendar of cooking classes
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You will learn how to make a traditional passata (10kg tomato box provided per person), enjoy a seasonal lunch with local wines, and take home your 10kg worth of passata bottles. BYO bottles and they will supply caps and sealing tools.
This is one of four cooking demonstrations over the weekend, all using pork. This demonstration is on twice, on Saturday, 23rd March, 12.30-1.15pm and again on Sunday, 24th March, 1.30-2.15pm.
Watch and participate in a hands-on cooking demonstration of how to make the perfect dumpling.
This is a Melbourne Food and Wine Festival event.
What you will be told:
- A brief science and history behind grains, nutritional benefits and cooking techniques.
- Discover different ancient and whole grains.
- The ingenious methods of grain preparation our ancestors devised in order to extract the maximum nutrition and flavour from the grains.
What you will experience:
- Ancient methods of grain preparation like soaking, sprouting, sour-leavening, and fermentation.
- Prepare and sample four dishes that feature a different grain using different preparation techniques.
- Prepare sourdough bread starter and learn how to care for it.
- Make sourdough pita bread from scratch using sourdough starter (sourdough pita bread is a great nutritional alternative to a loaf of bread and easy to prepare).
- The opportunity to see, feel, smell and taste a range of grain based dishes.
What you will leave with:
- An appreciation of the health benefits of ancient and whole grains if prepared properly.
- Knowledge and practical experience how to prepare grains in your kitchen.
- Full recipes, instructions and how to’s.
- Sourdough bread starter and fermented rice starter and instruction on how to care for it.
Join the ladies from Mangia! Mangia as they demonstrate traditional Italian recipes. Followed by tastings.
Bookings required.
Menu: samosa and chutney.
Cook Indian by the creek came into existence with the idea of breaking the myth that Indian cooking is complex and difficult to nail. In each session, they will share their traditional recipes and go through the step by step cooking process. The classes are held in a private kitchen.
Book by email.
The recipes demonstrated at the class will include: quick beetroot relish (veg, gf); plaited pork pie; cheat’s puff pastry; chicken pesto pasta; Taiwanese sticky rice; lentil bolognese (veg, gf); pull-apart sunshine bread; and quick fruit sponge (veg). Tastings will be available throughout the evening.
Enjoy 3 tasting size courses cooked by chef Bek McMillan, from Gourmet Living, who will demonstrate step by step. All recipes are included.
Menu: pintxos; spicy paella; and torrijas.
What you will learn:
- How to cultivate, feed and keep your ferments for long and short term use.
- How to assess pH, sugar and alcohol levels.
- Relevant food safety and sanitisation for fermenting.
What you will get:
- Comprehensive workshop notes and references/further reading.
- Your own vegetables ferments to take home.
- A sampling of fermented food.
Lacto-fermentation is a healthful, safe, low energy method of food preservation. Molly Bryson will show you how to make kimchi and kombucha.
Participants will be limited to 8 to maintain an informal interactive format.
Tutor Taariq Hassan. Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients. The menu will include: daal tadka (spiced lentils); raita (yoghurt based dip); muttar pulao (basmati rice with peas and cumin seeds); chapatti (flat bread); and seviyan (a milk-based dessert).
Please bring your own apron, cutting mat, tea towel and storage container/s for any leftovers.
This is a social afternoon of collective effort, open to everyone, and finishing with a shared meal. You can participate in seven steps of saucing tomatoes and gnocchi-making as well. The tomatoes will be provided. Each participant should get a share of 6-8 bottles of passata each. Please bring clean recycled passata jars if you can (they will provide the lids). The schedule:
3pm – passata making.
5pm – cooking the sauce.
6pm – shared supper of freshly made gnocchi and sugo.
Learn about how to reduce your household food waste. Learn skills and ideas around menu and pantry planning, how to get the most of the food you purchase, and what to do with leftovers and kitchen scraps. Facilitated by Lisa Moore.
Irene Williams from the Victorian Cake Decorating Society will show you how to decorate your own cupcakes for Easter.
Bookings essential.
Carol, from local catering business Kazzy’s Kitchen, will create some chocolatey Easter treats for you to taste and then perhaps recreate at home. She will also demonstrate some easy craft ideas that will turn your Easter table from ordinary to joyful.
Learn how your thermomix can help you provide nutritional meals with recipes from a range of weight loss regimes such as low carb keto, high protein, vegetable based. Note this class will not give weight loss advice, but the recipes are easier and cheaper than store-bought weight loss food and without additives.
Author of Traditional Sweet Recipes from Malta, Sharon Spiteri will discuss the significance of traditional Maltese sweets and demonstrate how to prepare kwarezimal, a sweet eaten during Lent.
Registration essential.
Enjoy 3 tasting size courses cooked by chef Bek McMillan, from Gourmet Living, who will demonstrate step by step. All recipes are included.
Menu: coconut chilli lime prawn curry; ‘quick’ beef red curry; and spiced fruit compote.
What you will learn:
- How to coagulate milk using acid and rennet.
- How to stretch and shape mozzarella.
- How to make whole milk ricotta.
What you will get:
- Recipes and the essential techniques of cheesemaking.
- A tasting of the cheeses made.
- Notes about the major steps of cheesemaking and resources for quality milk and supplies.
- A 20% discount on cheesemaking kits and equipment purchased in conjunction with the workshop.
Join Jacqueline Bender as she demystifies the art of making two of Italy’s most beloved cheeses. You will make mozzarella and ricotta from bio-dynamic milk (or organic if unavailable) to be eaten at the conclusion of the class. Ricotta will be made from whole milk (paneer style), which you will roll in home-made dukkah (chopped nuts and spices).
Participants will be limited to 8 to maintain an informal interactive format.
Join Irene Williams from the Victorian Cake Decorating Society to make your own chicken on a rocky road nest.
What you will learn:
- How to coagulate milk using acid and rennet.
- How to stretch and shape mozzarella.
- How to make whole milk ricotta.
What you will get:
- Recipes and the essential techniques of cheesemaking.
- A tasting of the cheeses made.
- Notes about the major steps of cheesemaking and resources for quality milk and supplies.
- A 20% discount on cheesemaking kits and equipment purchased in conjunction with the workshop.
Join Jacqueline Bender as she demystifies the art of making two of Italy’s most beloved cheeses. You will make mozzarella and ricotta from bio-dynamic milk (or organic if unavailable) to be eaten at the conclusion of the class. Ricotta will be made from whole milk (paneer style), which you will roll in home-made dukkah (chopped nuts and spices).
Participants will be limited to 8 to maintain an informal interactive format.
This workshop will help you to reduce food waste at home. You will cook a vegetarian lunch together and learn to save money, get creative with veggies, be more adaptable in the kitchen, and learn about the wonders of compost.
If you are not able to attend the workshop in the morning, you are welcome to share a free lunch with them afterwards at 1pm.
Hosted by Fermented Mumma. Learn about a scoby and how to flavour kombucha. You will also take home a copy of instructions and 3 litres of your very own kombucha.
Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji (the fungus Aspergillus oryzae). You will make your own high protein and enzyme rich miso paste following traditional Japanese methods.
Book by email ([email protected].com).
Shio koji is a Japanese fermented seasoning made with rice koji (cooked rice that has been inoculated with the fungus Aspergillus oryzae).
Book by email ([email protected]).
A selection of Thai inspired dishes will be demonstrated, plus practical staples – 5-8 dishes in total. Everything will be vegan, based around the core staples of fruit, veg, starches, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
For children aged 3-7. Enjoy decorating your very own French chocolate flat Easter egg. Choose from a variety of crunchy, chewy, gooey and crisp toppings. Have fun creating your own chocolate hand print too. Included is an apron and hat set.
What you will learn:
- The process of bean to bar chocolate making. Where does chocolate come from? How is it made?
- What makes fine couverture so special.
- Various flavour characteristics in single origin chocolates sourced from around the world.
What you will get:
- 20 varieties of chocolate to taste and a box of your favourite chocolate to take home.
You will taste chocolate made with cacao beans grown in countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Madagascar, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Vietnam and even Australia. You will look at the process of turning cocoa beans into chocolate.
Enjoy 3 tasting size courses cooked by chef Bek McMillan, from Gourmet Living, who will demonstrate step by step. All recipes are included.
Menu: Moroccan spiced pumpkin tart; satay chicken medallions; and berry ‘bruschetta’.
Nuka zuke is a famous Japanese fermented pickling technique using rice bran. In this workshop, you will make your own Nuka medium/bedding so that you can keep pickling at home for years and years!
Book by email ([email protected]).
A selection of Thai inspired dishes will be demonstrated, plus practical staples, including cashew yoghurt, plant-based milk and nut parmesan sprinkle. Everything will be vegan, based around the core staples of fruit, veg, starches, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
For children aged 7-15. Enjoy filling and decorating your own large Easter egg to create your own one of a kind chocolate smash egg. Premium couverture chocolate. Presented in a gift box.
This event is for young adults aged 15 to 30. Facilitated by the Youth Food Movement.
The humble toastie machine has long been underrated as a singular use kitchen utensil, but it’s time to grab a paper towel, clean off the melted cheese and unlock the secret powers of your toastie machine! This workshop is about creating culinary delights using only a toastie machine and a student budget.
What you will learn:
- How to temper chocolate to create a shine and crispy snap.
- How to create ganache.
- Let your creativity shine through as you decorate your truffles.
What you will get:
- A box of truffles that you have handcrafted.
- A starter pack – apron, dipping tool, chocolate, recipes.
Once you know how to temper and how to work with chocolate, your imagination will be your only limitation. They will make a ganache for the filling, revealing the small tricks that ensure a smooth outcome.
On Tuesdays from 23rd April to 25th June (10 weeks), 10am-12.30pm.
Facilitator: Catherine Donnelley. Learn cooking skills in this hands on and demonstration class. Using fresh seasonal ingredients and garden produce, learn planning, preparation and presentation skills. This class is supported by program staff as well as an experienced cook.
Book by phone (9480 1364).
No need to book – just turn up.
You will prepare and bottle a jar of pears to take home, jar and all.
On Tuesdays from 30th April to 18th June (8 weeks), 1.30-3.30pm.
Facilitator: Catherine Donnelley. Experience and enjoy demonstration and hands-on cooking, sharing recipes and using seasonal produce. This class is for participants living with or recovering from a mental health illness, have a mild disability or a long term condition. Family carers looking for a social connection are also encouraged to attend.
HACC-PYP and CHSP supported.
Book by phone (9480 1364).
You will learn:
- How to make a love heart cookie cake.
- How to make the perfect sugar cookie that won’t shrink.
- About fondant: how to colour it, roll and cut it out to perfectly fit your cookie.
- How to make your own stencils and cut out a large cookie cake.
- How to decorate and fill a large cookie cake.
This workshop will help you to reduce food waste at home. You will cook a vegetarian lunch together and learn to save money, get creative with veggies, be more adaptable in the kitchen, and learn about the wonders of compost.
If you are not able to attend the workshop in the morning, you are welcome to share a free lunch with them afterwards at 1pm.
Tutor Jenna Farrington-Sear. This workshop will cover basic theory as well as the tactile pleasure of all the steps of making bread from milled flour. Suitable for both novices and those who want to expand their bread making repertoire.
Topics to be covered:
- The essential ingredients and tools of the trade.
- The principal steps of bread making.
- Baker’s percentage and hydration.
- Mixing, kneading and folding dough.
- Shaping loaves, scoring and baking.
- Maintaining a starter.
You will take home:
- A piece of dough which can be baked at home.
- A sourdough starter.
Please bring your own apron, cutting mat, tea towel and storage container/s for any leftovers. Recipes, tips, hints and food leftovers will be taken home by participants. Also, bring a medium sized bowl (eg. Pyrex 2L or 3L) and a small container or jar with a lid to store sourdough starter and take home.
Ana and Gaby are Mexican Aussies with a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience in cooking Mexican dishes. Immerse yourself in Mexican cooking techniques and culture. This workshop will cover: red rice; fijoles (traditional Mexican beans); and tortilla soup.
Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji (the fungus Aspergillus oryzae). You will make your own high protein and enzyme rich miso paste following traditional Japanese methods.
Book by email ([email protected]).
They will share their favourite vegan and vegetarian meals in the Thermomix and give some tips on how to adjust some popular Thermomix meals to be meatless.
What you will learn:
- The process of bean to bar chocolate making. Where does chocolate come from? How is it made?
- What makes fine couverture so special.
- Various flavour characteristics in single origin chocolates sourced from around the world.
What you will get:
- 20 varieties of chocolate to taste and a box of your favourite chocolate to take home.
You will taste chocolate made with cacao beans grown in countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Madagascar, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Vietnam and even Australia. You will look at the process of turning cocoa beans into chocolate.