The Edible Experience

For those who love a good food adventure, this is where the journey begins!

Enjoy a festival or two, take a certificate class and share your passion with leading winemakers, chefs and producers in the region, and ask those questions you’ve always wondered but never dared asking. Events announced to date include:

FlavourFest at Hunter Valley Gardens
 
FlavourFest features fine food, exquisite wines, exotic tastes, pampering and inspiring music all set in Australia’s Largest Display Garden. The event will feature cooking demonstrations, seminar sessions, entertainment, wineries and restaurants, cocktail flairing showcases, Kids in the Kitchen and exhibits packed with tasty offerings, fresh produce and specialty merchandise.

Watch our celebrity chef demonstrations, with Janelle Bloom from Ready, Steady Cook and Tobie Puttock Jamie Oliver’s right hand man of Restaurant Fifteen.

Match your Steak & Shiraz Challenge
 
The Hunter Valley Steakhouse (Mercure Resort Hunter Valley Gardens) invites you to partake in a unique “Match your steak & Shiraz Challenge” from 5pm every evening during the month of June 2009. For only $15pp (free when dining afterwards) you will be served a number of different samples of Hunter Valley Steaks accompanied by Hunter Valley Shiraz, with these samples we challenge you to identify the best match. Aiding selection will be some tasting notes & of course our Chef’s selection to see how well you fair.

Hunter Gatherer at Esca Bimbadgen
 
Reduce your “Food Miles” throughout June and join Esca for a “Hunter Gatherer”, a celebration of local food and wine, featuring a five course set menu from Lower and Upper Hunter produce.

The culinary team at Esca have handpicked the finest local produce from Pokolbin, Maitland, Morperth, Broke, Woodville, Singleton and neighbouring areas to produce a menu to showcase a true taste of the Hunter Valley.

Meet the Cheesemaker/Cheesemaking Tutuorial
 
Walk in the boots of an Artisan Cheesemaker. Come and share a coffee with one of our Cheesemakers. Enjoy an interactive chat about life as a regional producer/cheesemaker in Hunter Wine Country and cheesemaking in general.

Sample handmade cheeses and learn the basics of cheese varieties. Bookings preferred.

Grazing Platter & The Little Wine Co.
Wineflight with Australian Native Flavours
 
We’ve all thrown a prawn on the barbie but how about updating your BBQ repertoire and impressing your friends and family by using Australian Native Flavours. You will be surprised how easily you can transform your barbeque/cooking skills with the addition of these flavoursome native foods. Nothing weird just good cooking and great flavours. Savour the Little Wine Company’s premium wine flight matched to four food creations. Platter for two $46.00 (including wine flight, tasting notes and recipes to take home). Bookings preferred.

Gnocchi Making & Dinner at Il Cacciatore
 
'Il Cacciatore' invites you to participate in a fun, hands-on gnocchi making and dinner party. Join a small group of like minded individuals who enjoy Italian food, wine, a fun time and don't mind getting down and dirty (floury)!

You will be lead through a step by step, hands-on, gnocchi making class. Following your class, you will enjoy a five course dinner with wine and your new gnocchi making friends. A variety of gnocchi dishes will be cooked right at the table. Limit per class is 14. Overnight accommodation available.

Constable Estate with Redgate farm presents...
 
Saturday, 6th June; a demonstration class on making exciting new flavoured preservatives & chutneys. $45 members or $55 non members.

Saturday, 19th June; join us for red wine & duck, a cocktail party exploring the many flavours that can be used to compliment duck. $65 for members or $75 non members.

Smell & Taste with Tempus Two & The Smelly Cheese Shop
 
Tempus Two Cellar Door and Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop invite you to ‘Smell and Taste’ your way through a decadent indulgence of premium wine and the world of cheese. Our people are passionate about the art of combining flavours and textures with that added flair! Join us for our version of a ‘master class’ – you will not be disappointed.

Margan Slow Food Month
 
Margan Slow Food Month features a five course degustation menu showcasing local produce, offerings fresh from the Margan garden, and matching Margan wines.

Olive Appreciation at Adina
 
A comprehensive package including a tour of an operating olive mill, olive oil and table olive appreciation with nibbles followed by a three course Mediterranean-style meal.

Time and weather permitting, after lunch, guests will have also an opportunity to look at olive trees and learn more about them.

Lindt Chocolate & Wine Matching Experience
 
Enjoy famous Lindt chocolate with Hunter Valley Cabernet. Free daily at Hunter Valley Wine Society.

Hunter Resort - Food and Wine School Experience
 
Hunter Resort will showcase local produce and Hunter Wines.  You will receive a main meal and tasting. This event will operate every Saturday & Sunday within June 2010. Cost $30 per person.

Hunter Resort - Bluetongue Brewery Beer & Food Accompaniment Tasting
 
Experience Hunter Resort Bluetongue Brewery tasting with a main meal matching our local beers. Operating every Saturday & Sunday within June 2010. Cost $20 per person.

Whispering Brook Olive Grove Long Lunch
 
Experience a sumptuous olive inspired long table lunch with matched wines in the olive grove at Whispering Brook. Taste freshly pressed olive oils, learn about the production of olives, enjoy a tutored walking tour of the estate’s olive groves and learn about different olive varieties. Attend the an olive master class and taste the difference between early and late harvest olive oils and what you should look for in an olive oil. Linger in front of the fire in the afternoon and indulge in cheese and red wine or dessert.

15th Annual Strings in the Winery – Allandale Winery
 
A magical evening of music, wine and food hosted by Allandale Winery. Sparkling wine and canapés are served on Allandale’s front lawn overlooking the vineyards to the Brokenback Range. Guests are then seated in our candle lit barrel room in the winery with the orchestra for a three course dinner matched with Allandale wines. The music is performed by Paul Goodchild and Strings from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Lovers of classical music, wine and food should not miss this fabulous evening.

Dress: Black Tie. RSVP: Friday, 21st May, 2010.

Lyndey Milan’s Spicy Experience
 
Lyndey Milan, one of Australia’s most acclaimed food and wine writers, adds a little spice to the Hunter Valley Wine & Food Month with her latest cook book “Just Add Spice”. Join Lyndey at McWilliams Mount Pleasant for an hour long masterclass as she unearths the secrets of cooking with spices, and reveals a whole new world of matching wines with spicy food.

Afterwards indulge in a sumptuous lunch based on recipes from Lyndey’s “Just Add Spice”, with award winning wines by McWilliams Mount Pleasant expertly matched to the mouth watering flavours. Lyndey will also be available to sign copies of her latest books which will be available at reduced prices on the day.

A Celebration of Semillon & Shiraz – Hungerford Hill Wines and Muse Restaurant & Cafe
 
Hungerford Hill Wines and Muse Restaurant & Cafe offer you “a celebration” of the Hunter Valley’s iconic varieties; Semillon and Shiraz.

For the month of June you will be able to select four canapés matched with four vertical vintages of either the Hunter Valley Semillon or Hunter Valley Shiraz. Relax and enjoy this experience on the terrace of the Cellar Door.

Wine Country Hospitality Roadshow
 
In an attempt to reduce skill shortages in the region, an innovative Hospitality Roadshow on June 8th will introduce High School students to a range of career opportunities available in the Hunter Valley Wine Country.

The aim is to engage local people through live demonstrations of tourism and hospitality in action. The Roadshow illustrates to students the winemaking process, possible job opportunities for tourism and hospitality in the Hunter, cooking demonstrations, and much more, all set in the beautiful Hunter Valley vineyards.

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