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.

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?”

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.

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.

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).