LFC News January 8

Jan 062025
 

Happy New Year to everyone. Here’s hoping that all of you have a brilliant 2025.

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Felicity Carr, Judy Vizzari and Olwyn Smiley.

2024 saw something of a falling off in the number of people who contribute to this newsletter and it would be really good if we could reverse that trend. Any bits of news, tips, photos or questions would be more than welcome. Just email them to me (Guy). If you want to discuss any possible articles or regular contributions, give me a ring (0411 520850).

Have you got a really speccy edible garden? Or know of one?

As you hopefully know, Open Gardens Victoria have an ongoing program of open gardens, some of which we promote in this newsletter from time to time. To date, very few of the gardens have had a food or produce focus but they recently contacted me to say that they want to have a number of food or produce open gardens in the Autumn, some individual home gardens and some communal community gardens. Via this newsletter, they are hoping to get some leads.

So, would you potentially be interested in your food/produce garden being an open garden for Open Gardens Victoria in the Autumn? Or, do you have any suggestions for other gardens that might be suitable? Or, are there any community gardens that you would suggest as potential candidates? If the answer to any of these questions is either ‘yes’ or ‘maybe’, contact Felicity Carr by phone (0419 578 916) or email (feliss.carr@yahoo.com.au) to discuss.

Before you contact Felicity, there are two things that you need to think about. First, the average standard of their open gardens is extremely high and there is no point offering your garden if it is simply a veggie patch plus a few fruit trees. Second, they need to be able to control the flow of people in and out of the garden, so it needs to be fenced off except for a gate, entrance or similar. This latter issue is particularly relevant for community gardens as many of them are more open than this.

An interesting statistic

Question: how many kilograms of fruit, vegetables, and pantry staples did Foodbank Victoria provide to food relief agency DIVRS to give away to the Darebin community in 2024?

Answer: 28,000!

Hurstbridge Market is no more

The organisers, Diamond Valley Community Support, have announced that the Hurstbridge Market will no longer happen on the grounds that it was financially unsustainable.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (12th January, 10-10.30am) on 3CR (855 AM), Amy and Ann will interview Wayne Rankin about building your house and growing your food. Listen by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website, the latest being Patrick Wain on mindful gardening (29th December).

Some new articles from Angelo Eliades

Capsicum growing guide.

Leek growing guide.

Onion growing guide.

Why do my cucumbers taste bitter?

What is the difference between compost worms and earthworms?

The permaculture guide to covert guerilla gardening.

Angelo has also published a review of newsletter reader Connie Cao’s book, Your Asian Veggie Patch. Here is his summary: “A delightful book that opens up a new world of Asian produce for gardeners of all skill levels, guiding readers through a horticultural and culinary journey of discovery in a fun, friendly and informative way. Offering both practical growing advice and inspiring ideas for the kitchen, it’s an enjoyable read that’s hard to put down for any curious gardener or food enthusiast. From the outset, Connie Cao’s passion for gardening and her deep knowledge of Asian food plants shine through. The book is written in an accessible and friendly style that’s effortless to read, while also being very comprehensive and detailed, striking a nice balance indeed. The comprehensive guidance is complemented by stunning photographs of plants, gardens, and prepared dishes, which not only illustrate the subject matter but also showcase the author’s creative eye and culinary artistry.”

Angelo gives the book 5 out of stars. You can buy it online at all good book stores.

Read more of Angelo’s food-related articles.

Fruit jelly (by Sue Ruchel and Judy Vizzari)

[A month or so ago, we gave away quite a lot of copies of Sue Ruchel’s book Windfalls: preserves and other country kitchen secrets. I invited each recipient to send me some words and photos for this newsletter about one of the recipes that they had made. Here is Judy Vizzari’s response.]

“In my [i.e. Judy’s] garden there are several apple and plum trees (green apples and greengage plums/wild red plums). Their fruit is small and astringent and great wild bird plunder but, through reading Windfalls, I discovered that they are a perfect source of ingredients for some of Sue’s recipes. I committed to some jelly-making and, as soon as our trees were laden with fruit (and before the birds took first pick), I harvested our ‘wild’ crops. Jelly making is a slow process but, as Sue says in her book, ‘it’s a breeze’. It’s easy because the pectin in the fruit pectin performs the jelling. The result is a jelly which is both sweet and sharp.”

In Judy’s photo, the sideways jar on the right shows how viscous the jelly is once it has set.

Ingredients

Fruit (e.g. apples and plums)
Sugar
Water

Method

Cut any large fruits (e.g. apples) into halves, but leave the small fruits whole. There is no need for any peeling or coring.

Wash the fruit and cover with water.

Boil the fruit until it is soft but not mushy.

Pour through a jelly bag (e.g. a suspended piece of cheesecloth), leaving it all to drip thru overnight (or for 24 hours).

Add 1 cup of sugar for every cup of extract. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and then boil until it is set.

Bottle and seal while still hot.

The setting test is the same as for jam. Place a little bit of the jelly on a saucer and put in the freezer for a few minutes. If the jelly wrinkles when the saucer is tilted, then it will set. This is when you remove the mixture from the heat.

Critter of the week – yellow admiral butterfly

Thanks to Olwyn Smiley for this week’s photos.

The photos are of the various stages of the life cycle of a yellow admiral butterfly (Vanessa itea in family Nymphalidae), all from Olwyn’s garden. Clockwise from top left: an adult, with the upper surface of the wings showing; an newly emerged adult, with the lower surface of the wings showing; a chrysalis; a caterpillar; a folded nettle leaf sheltering a caterpillar; and an egg.

  

  

Unlike many other butterflies, the adults are long-lived (up to several months) and eat (on nectar, and sometimes sap).

The caterpillars eat nettle leaves and the adults therefore lay their pale green eggs on nettle leaves. As Olwyn says, “this is the reason that I always have some nettle plants in the garden (preferably not in amongst the salad greens!).”

The caterpillars fold nettle leaves to make a shelter. As Olwyn says, “when returning to this home, they carefully turn around and ‘reverse park’!”

The chrysalises are a soft metallic gold colour with three pale metallic blue ‘spikes’.

Olwyn often bring eggs, caterpillars or chrysalises into her house to see what emerges. Although she missed the actual emergence of this butterfly, she could see the wings filling out and gaining colour as she moved it outside.

A final comment from Olwyn: “On a couple of occasions, one of the butterflies has alighted on me while I was out in the garden; such a privilege and delight!”

If you have any interesting photos of critters in your garden, email them to me.

Read about our previous critters of the week on our website..

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

Why did the orange stop rolling down the hill? It ran out of juice. (submitted by Google)

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets

Farm Raiser currently has a special: pick your own basil for $30 per kg.

Food swaps

Note that some food swaps don’t always happen during January so you might want to check before going.

Community gardens

Note that some community garden meetups don’t always happen during January so you might want to check before going.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Sake master class; Sunday, 12th January, midday-2pm; $73 ($37 per hour); Brunswick East.

Kana Aoyama will guide you through the history, production and tasting of this traditional Japanese beverage. She will teach you all the basics, let you try 5 different styles, and show you how to pair sake with cheese, cured meats and chocolate.

Harvesting and Lebanese dips; Friday, 17th January, 11am-1pm; free; Richmond.

Discover how to harvest and save seeds, followed by a Lebanese dips and pickling workshop. Organised by Cultivating Community.

Food cushion – ages 5+; Wednesday, 22nd January, 10.30am-midday; $45 ($30 per hour); Camberwell.

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.

Seeds to plate and Italian cooking; Wednesday, 22nd January, 2-4pm; free; Richmond.

Explore the journey from seeds to plate in 7 weeks, then make Italian pizza and bread. Organised by Cultivating Community.

Grow it yourself gardening program (10 sessions); on Wednesdays, starting 29th January, 9.30am-12.30pm; $70 ($2 per hour); Fawkner.

Learn how to grow food in any space, big or small. The topics will include: growing in pots, raised beds, wicking beds; seasonal planning; making compost and worm farms; what plants need; propagating from seeds and cuttings; natural weed and pest management; and planting for insects and wildlife. Organised by Fawkner Neighbourhood House.

Urban food gardening (10 sessions); on Wednesdays, starting 29th January, 9.30am-1.30pm; $70 ($2 per hour); Brunswick.

Learn how to grow nutrient-dense food using regenerative gardening practices. Gain knowledge and learn hands-on skills to plan and maintain a biodiverse, productive garden. The cost of $70 is subject to ACFE eligibility. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Seeds to plate and Italian cooking; Friday, 31st January, 11am-1pm; free; Richmond.

Create an edible flower garden and learn to extend produce shelf life, followed by a session on creative ways to use excess produce. Organised by Cultivating Community.

Pruning and care of fruit trees – summer; Saturday, 1st February, 10am-3pm; $149 ($30 per hour); CERES.

You will learn about: general care and maintenance tips; and hands-on pruning instruction and techniques.

Traditional wooden spoon carving; Saturday, 1st February, 10am-4pm; $179 ($30 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.

Companion planting and mini market; Saturday, 1st February, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Montrose.

Pat will discuss how plants can support each other in the garden. Following the talk, the Montrose Community Cupboard will have a mini market. Those attending the talk will enter the market first.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 1st February, midday-4pm; $82; Richmond.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes 30 complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Attria Wine Bar with Vinteloper; Klae with Pizzini Wines; Maeve Fox with Payten & Jones; Public House with Rouleur Wine Co.; The Blacksmith Bar with Yering Station; The Precinct Hotel with Rob Dolan Wines; and Waygood  with Vino Intrepido.

Introduction to permaculture; Sunday, 2nd February, 10am-3pm; $149 ($30 per hour); CERES.

You will learn about permaculture by exploring its ethics and design principles and how we can create resilient, sustainable systems that work with nature and the natural limits of our planet. You will learn how the permaculture principles can be applied to your life and land. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

Urban food gardening (8 sessions); on Mondays, starting 3rd February, 10am-2.30pm; $155 ($4 per hour); Edendale.

This course is for people who love gardening and the outdoors, are considering a career in horticulture, would like to learn more about growing their own food successfully or who would like an introduction to aspects of working in the industry before choosing a specific course/study pathway. To be eligible for the government subsidised fee, you need to be either a permanent resident and/or an Australian Citizen/New Zealand Citizen and not enrolled in mainstream secondary school. Tutor: Justin Calverley. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

Introduction to permaculture and garden design (9 sessions); on Tuesdays, starting 4th February, 10am-midday; free; Pascoe Vale.

Learn practical food growing skills while transforming the neighbourhood lawn into a thriving, edible ecosystem. The course will cover: the philosophy of forest gardening; site assessment and design considerations; biodiversity in gardens and soil; no-dig techniques to build healthy soil; plants for food and medicine, including weed; how to grow fruit trees, berries, vegetables, herbs, flowers and bush foods; seed saving and propagation; plant care, including pest and disease management; water systems; seasonal planting, companion planting and crop rotation; and ways to eat and cook unusual and medicinal foods. Presenter: Leila Alexandra. Organised by Sussex Neighbourhood House.

Introduction to permaculture (4 sessions); on consecutive Tuesdays, starting 4th February, 10am-2.30pm; $90 ($5 per hour); Edendale.

This practical, hands-on course will give you an understanding of what permaculture is and how it can be applied in both a home garden setting and a commercial setting. To be eligible for the government subsidised fee, you need to be either a permanent resident and/or an Australian Citizen/New Zealand Citizen and not enrolled in mainstream secondary school. Tutor: Justin Calverley. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik

Whiskey and gin experience with Imbue Distillery; Friday, 7th February, 5.30-8.30pm; $139 ($46 per hour); South Morang.

Learn how to cook BBQ dishes while also discovering the perfect pairings to the whiskeys and gins of Imbue Distillery. Be taken through the BBQ process, from meat selections to grilling techniques, while sharing insights into the complexities of the spirits. Enjoy the tastings.

Permaculture Design Course (100 hours); starting Saturday, 8th February, 9.30am-4.30pm; $2,470 ($25 per hour); CERES.

The course will comprise a combination of Wednesday evenings (6.30-9.30pm), weekend days (9.30am-4.30pm) and weekend visits. It is a classroom-based, theoretical course with site visits, not a gardening course. Participants will develop: an appreciation of the fundamentals of permaculture and the historical context in which it was developed; an ability to incorporate ecological and energy literacy/understanding in the design process; an ability to read patterns in landscapes and understand how they influence design choices; an understanding of the design processes and the conceptual design tools used in permaculture, as background for later application topics; an ability to design food production and other agricultural systems in appropriate landscapes; an understanding of how communities function and how permaculture concepts can be used to build functional communities; an understanding of how trading functions and how permaculture concepts can be used to build more equitable economic systems; an understanding of how settlements can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an understanding of how buildings can be designed to meet human needs on a sustainable basis; an appreciation of the technologies that are available to assist in building sustainable lifestyles – renewable energies and conservation of non-renewable resources; and a confidence in one’s ability to make a difference at the individual level. Trainers: Adam Grubb, Beck Lowe, Joel Meadows and Kat Lavers.

Small space gardening; Saturday, 8th February, 10am-3pm; $149 ($30 per hour); CERES.

You will learn: how to maximise your small space to create an abundant oasis of food, herbs and ornamentals; and container gardening techniques and principles. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

What’s the environmental impact of our food?; Wednesday, 12th February, 7-8.30pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Join a discussion exploring how our food systems and choices can drive meaningful climate action, including the environmental impacts of meat and dairy production, biodiversity loss and deforestation. The speakers, who will share practical ways to shop, eat and advocate for planetary health, will include Dheepa Jeyapalan (from Regen Melbourne), Jess Abrahams (from Australian Conservation Foundation), Adele Chasson (from the Wilderness Society) and Karen Kiang (from Doctors for the Environment).

Complete urban farmer (12 sessions); weekly starting Thursday, 13th February, 9am-3pm; $1,250 ($17 per hour); CERES.

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

Summer fruit tree pruning; Saturday, 15th February, 9am-1pm; $65 ($16 per hour); Edendale.

Learn about winter versus summer pruning and how to shape and improve fruiting with summer pruning. Facilitated by Justin Calverley. Take your gardening gloves, a hat and a pair of secateurs.

Permaculture garden design group (8 sessions); on consecutive Saturdays, starting 15th February, 9.30am-12.30pm; $120 ($5 per hour); Coburg.

This course is for people with small backyards or balconies, or anyone wanting to grow food, no matter how limited the space. Learn how to create a productive, sustainable garden using permaculture principles. What you will learn: how to design efficient and beautiful gardens in small spaces; techniques for vertical gardening, container gardening and maximising food production; water conservation; soil health; organic pest management; creating mini food forests; and attracting beneficial wildlife. Each week, there will be practical exercises and teamwork. To be eligible for the government subsidised fee, you need to be either a permanent resident and/or an Australian Citizen/New Zealand Citizen and not enrolled in mainstream secondary school. Presenters: Angelo Eliades, Liz Morrigan and Nathacha Subero. Organised by Reynard Street Neighbourhood House.

Soils and composting; Saturday, 15th February, 10am-3pm; $149 ($30 per hour); CERES.

Learn what you need to know about soil structure and biology, to deepen your understanding of gardening. Also, learn how to create thriving ecosystems of microbes by making compost and have all your compost questions answered. Presenter: Taj Scicluna.

Italian cheese and wine masterclass; Saturday, 15th February, 2-5pm; $135 ($45 per hour); Thomastown.

Begin with a cheese-making demonstration by Giorgio Linguanti, founder of That’s Amore Cheese. Watch as he creates warm whey and stretches curd to produce fresh, artisanal cheese right before your eyes. Then explore a handpicked selection of That’s Amore cheeses (such as Lavato, Stella Alpina, Diavoletti and Cacio) paired with Italian cheeses (Mauri Taleggio, Grana Ambrosi and Grana Padano), all perfectly matched with Aussie wines.

Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Chai blending workshop; Wednesday, 15th January, 1-2pm; free; Diamond Creek.

Learn how to blend your own chai tea. All materials, including spices, will be provided.

Cooking with induction; on Sunday, 19th January, at 9-10am and again at 11am-midday; free; Camberwell.

Open Table who will demonstrate how easy it is to cook nutritious, healthy, low emissions meals on an induction cooktop. A specialist from Specialized Electrical will be on hand to answer your questions about the requirements and the process of installing an induction cooktop, potential costs and other things to consider.

Lacto-fermentation 101; Sunday, 19th January, 10.30am-2.30pm; $140 ($35 per hour); Collingwood.

Learn about the world of fermentation and how to make three delicious and gut-friendly ferments, namely kimchi, hot sauce, and fermented pineapple soda. You will get hands-on experience with every step of the process. So if you’re ready to transform your kitchen into a fermenting powerhouse, join them for this session. Presenter: The Fermented Mumma.

Healthy lunch box ideas; Thursday, 23rd January, 10.30-11.30am; free; Croydon.

A team from EACH Population and Prevention Health will show a range of nourishing lunch box ideas, demonstrate a range of lunch box tools and discuss age-appropriate ways to get kids involved in making their lunch box. This session is designed for one adult with 1-2 primary-aged school children. Please confirm dietary requirements at the time of booking.

Winter Shelter community cooking (12 sessions); fortnightly from Tuesday, 28th January until Tuesday, 1st July, each 1-4pm; free; Croydon Hills.

Prepare meals for the Winter Shelter community meals program and learn hospitality and catering skills at the same time. Organised by Yarrunga Community Centre.

Creative kitchen program (10 sessions); on Thursdays, starting 30th January, 9.30am-1.30pm; $70 ($2 per hour); Brunswick.

Boost your culinary skills and confidence by making meals and sharing them with fellow foodies. The focus will be on minimising food waste and maximising your grocery haul. Plus, learn how to cook for a crowd during their monthly community lunches. The cost of $70 is subject to ACFE eligibility. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Pasta shapes with Piera Pagnoni; Saturday, 1st February, 10am-1pm; $150 ($50 per hour); Thomastown.

Learn how to make the dough from scratch and how to shape the pasta. You will learn how to make balanzoni and ravioli di pesce. You will also learn how to make two sauces (alla norma and quattro formaggi). Presenter: Piera Pagnoni. Organised by That’s Amore Cheese.

The art of French crepe making class; Saturday, 1st February, 3-6pm; $158 ($53 per hour); Thornbury.

Learn a little about the history of French crepes and the tools of the trade. Learn how to make crêpes from scratch, including preparing and spreading the batter and experimenting with different folding methods. At the end, enjoy a shared meal with your fellow participants, savouring your creations at the table with an array of toppings. Then take home a stack of freshly made crepes to enjoy later.

Plant-based cooking; Sunday, 2nd February, 11am-1pm; $25 ($13 per hour); Forest Hill.

Learn how to prepare traditional Chinese New Year plant-based dishes. Alongside the cooking, enjoy some themed art and craft activities, including traditional Chinese ‘window flowers’ and hui-chun (a traditional calligraphic art form that conveys blessings for the new year). Organised by Strathdon House.

Pizza masterclass with Antonio; Sunday, 2nd February, 11.30am-2pm; $107 ($43 per hour); Brunswick.

You will learn about: how to make dough by hand; balling & stretching techniques; how to use a pizza paddle & peel; pizza turning in the oven; fermentation & the process of making dough; and pizza classico (classic style pizza in the oven), pizze fritte (fried pizza), donuts, focaccia and bread. You will make both savoury and sweet pizzas, and you will get to cook and eat the pizzas together with a complimentary drink. You will take home two dough balls.

Introduction to cake decorating (5 sessions); on consecutive Tuesdays, starting 6th February, 10am-2.30pm; $80 ($8 per hour); Eltham.

Learn how to make cupcakes, including different types of icing and decorating techniques. The icings covered will include glace, ganache, Russian, royal and buttercream. Every week you take home your creations. Take an apron, a tea towel, a container to take home your cakes and (after the first session) cupcakes or cakes ready to decorate. To be eligible for the government subsidised fee, you need to be either a permanent resident and/or an Australian Citizen/New Zealand Citizen and not enrolled in mainstream secondary school. Organised by Living & Learning Nillumbik.

Sourdough for beginners; Saturday, 8th February, 10am-1pm; $63 ($21 per hour); Brunswick.

Learn how to make sourdough bread, including both sourdough culture care and the processes of sourdough fermentation and baking. You will sample some freshly baked bread plus take home some sourdough culture (starter). Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.

Classic Vietnamese salads; Saturday, 8th February, 10am-2pm; $180 ($45 per hour); Panton Hill.

Learn how to: poach chicken for a Vietnamese chicken salad; make spring onion oil; grill tiger prawns on charcoal for a green mango salad; make bo la lot (beef in Vietnamese betel leaf with pickled vegetables); and make Vietnamese nuoc cham dressing two ways. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Gnocchi masterclass with Chef Dario D’Agostino; Saturday, 8th February, 11am-2pm; $153 ($51 per hour); Brunswick.

Learn how to make gnocchi from scratch using traditional Italian techniques, shaping your own gnocchi under guidance. Then eat gnocchi Napoli paired with a glass of Italian wine. Finally, take home your handmade gnocchi along with a goodie bag.

No waste cooking with Open Table; Saturday, 8th February, 2.30-4pm; free; Fitzroy North.

Watch a live cooking demonstration, enjoy a taste test, learn how to pickle, and take home your jar of pickles and a free no waste cookbook. Presenters: Open Table.

Make daifuku mochi; Saturday, 8th February, 4-5.30pm; $40 ($26 per hour); Camberwell.

Daifuku mochi is a traditional, soft and chewy Japanese sweet made from glutinous rice. Learn how to make daifuku mochi from scratch. At the end, eat what you made together with some hot, green tea. Teacher: Hiro Mikami. Organised by Camberwell Community Centre.

Vegan cheese making; Sunday, 9th February, 10am-3pm; $154 ($31 per hour); CERES.

Learn how to create your own array of vegan cheeses, milks, creamy spreads and dairy-free desserts. Limitless options for flavours and styles. Presenter: Nase Supplitt.

Winter Shelter community cooking (9 sessions); fortnightly from Monday, 10th February until Monday, 30th June, each 11am-2pm; free; Croydon Hills.

Prepare meals for the Winter Shelter community meals program and learn hospitality and catering skills at the same time. Organised by Yarrunga Community Centre.

Fermented sodas; Wednesday, 12th February, 6-8.30pm; $110 ($44 per hour); CERES.

You will learn the art of fermenting your own probiotic beverages, working with different yeasts and flavours. You will make kombucha, sweet-beet kvass and lemon and ginger soda. Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

Catering for community (18 sessions); on various Thursdays throughout 2025, starting 13th February, 9-11am; free; Whittlesea.

Learn to cook for a crowd, expanding your cooking skills and serving lunch to our community. Organised by Whittlesea Community House.

Cooking for one (5 sessions); on 5 consecutive Thursdays, starting 13th February, 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. Presenter: Sarah. Organised by Lilydale Community House.

Blokes in the kitchen (2 sessions); on Fridays, 14th February and 14th March, each 9am-midday; $92 ($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.

Soup and sides – miso magic; Saturday, 15th February, 1-3pm; $70 ($35 per hour); Kilsyth.

Learn how to make miso soup and sides. This is one of three Japanese cooking sessions on consecutive Saturdays from 15th February. Book all three sessions for $180. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Make daifuku mochi; Saturday, 15th February, 4-5.30pm; $40 ($26 per hour); Camberwell.

Daifuku mochi is a traditional, soft and chewy Japanese sweet made from glutinous rice. Learn how to make daifuku mochi from scratch. At the end, eat what you made together with some hot, green tea. Teacher: Hiro Mikami. Organised by Camberwell Community Centre.

Sourdough bread baking; Sunday, 16th February, 9am-5pm; $220 ($28 per hour); CERES.

You will: make a variety of different breads, gaining the skills and confidence to make your own at home; enjoy some of your own handmade pizza for lunch; and take home some leaven to get you started baking bread at home. Presenter: Ken Hercott.

Cooking with ancient grains – quinoa; Sunday, 16th February, 10am-midday; $60 ($30 per hour); Forest Hill.

With a focus on quinoa, learn about the health benefits of ancient grains and why they are sustainable. Learn how to cook quinoa and how to incorporate it into a meal. Presenter: Natalie. Organised by Strathdon House.

A trio of Asian delights; Sunday, 16th February, 10am-1pm; $85 ($28 per hour); Fawkner.

Learn how to make Japanese gyoza, Korean yapchae and Vietnamese rice paper rolls. Organised by Fawkner Neighbourhood House.

How to make wild drinks; Sunday, 16th February, 2-4pm; $180 ($90 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Learn how to make kombucha & jun, mead discovery, water kefir, beet kvass and whey soda. You will go home with 3 large jars full to be nurtured and ferment at home in your own kitchen of beet kvass, kombucha or jun and water kefir (your choice of SCOBY) plus a bottle of second fermenting water kefir that will be ready the next day and a jar of raw honey ready to turn into mead.

Regular classes

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