Good Food & Wine Show – Melbourne

Good Food & Wine Show - Melbourne

Good Food & Wine Show – Melbourne Rating

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With eager hearts and bellies, we set about the walk down South Wharf to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre for our first taste of the 25th annual Good Food and Wine Show. This three-day foodie bender had been on our calendars for quite a while and with the Melbourne weather gods on our side, we knew the stars were aligning and we were in for a treat.

Upon entry we were met with an exciting blast of fragrances and laughter. It became clear that we needed a plan of attack for the 300 plus exhibitors before us. Often with these grand-scale conventions it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and spoilt for choice as to where to start. But armed with our complimentary wine tasting glasses, we forged forth into the throng.

The Harvey Norman stage hosted the chocolate queen herself Kristen Tibells. Audiences were treated to the eight distinct flavours of chocolate and the origins of cacao beans. Throughout the day, other A-list celebrity chefs hosted live demonstrations on this same stage. George Calombaris and Shannon Bennett took us through a culinary wonderland, their bubbly dynamic humorously punctuated by the surtitle screen above the stage providing commentary on the action happening below. Miguel Maestre also graced the stage with his infectious smile and delectable “Fiesta En La Cocina” demonstration for passionate cooking.

Being a “curd-nerd” myself (a term I learned from a friendly patron willing to let me jump the cue in front of him), I found myself instinctively gravitating toward the cheese district. First stop was the Smelly Cheese Co. grilling cheese toasties with their Quicke’s English Cloth 18 month Cheddar. Oh my heart. I would die happy. If I had all the time in the world, it wouldn’t have been enough to satiate my desire to sample every cheese stall. One such highlight was Long Paddock Cheese offering handmade artisan cheeses using organic cow’s milk from Castlemaine.

Their Bluestone was reminiscent of a creamy salty stilton and their Driftwood wrapped in spruce bark was baked to gooey perfection that you just wanted to dip a spoon in there and succumb to a cheesy coma heaven. However it was their signature cultured cream salted butter that took the spotlight. Simply spread on some crusty bread, you felt like a 17th century fop giggling over the luxury banquet before you.

Wines, gins and sakes were in abundance presenting flavours and aromas from all over the world. Lychee Estate took my eye with their “Horse’s Neck” cocktail. Located in the small Hong Kong town of Buluo, this distillery prides itself in providing “nourishment to the people and the fruit”. Their award winning lychee vodka and ten-year edition brandy boasts no less than 12 kg of lychees in every bottle. Their “Horse’s Neck” cocktail (a combination of their lychee brandy, ginger ale and lemon rind) reminded me of a great summer drink next to an Aperol spritz.

After sampling an unforgivable amount of sweets, snacks, pastries, condiments and alcohol, it was time for our slow and heavy departure. Word to the wise: next year bring a backpack for all your goodies and be sure to eat something before hitting the wines too hard.

To book tickets to the Good Food & Wine Show in your town, follow the link for session dates and times @ https://goodfoodshow.com.au/.

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Food, Wine and Good Times

Brisbane Good Food and Wine Festival

Brisbane Good Food and Wine Festival Rating

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Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending the Good Food and Wine Show at the Brisbane Convention Centre.

Featuring over 300 exhibitors from all over Australia, there was everything from artisanal goodies like breads, cheeses, delicious sweet treats, chutneys and spice mixes and everything in between. But if food is not your thing, there was also plenty of wine and spirits to be had from some of Australia’s top wineries, distillery and breweries.

The Brisbane Good Food and Wine Festival is truly a delightful celebration for food enthusiasts. But for me, this year’s highlight was the BBQ Ribs Masterclass. The session was both informative and hands-on, providing participants with insider tips on seasoning, marinating, and the perfect cooking techniques for tender, flavorful ribs.

The atmosphere was electric, with the aromas of smoky BBQ wafting through the air. Attendees had the chance to get up close and personal with the grilling process, learning the art of achieving that perfect char while keeping the meat juicy and tender for a melt-in-your-mouth experience.

 

But if BBQ Ribs are not your thing, fear not; there are plenty of masterclasses and cooking demonstrations to satisfy your every foodie desire. The camaraderie among food lovers added to the experience, creating a festive vibe that resonated throughout the event.

Overall, the BBQ Ribs Masterclass was a standout event, perfectly blending education with indulgence. Whether you’re a seasoned cook, a novice, or just a lover of all things food, wine, and good times, this experience will not disappoint. It offered attendees valuable insights and a deeper appreciation for all things produce, food, wine, and spirits.

There was so much to see and do we couldn’t actually fit it all in. The Brisbane Food and Wine Festival continues to impress, making it a must-visit for anyone who loves good food and great company.

The Festival is over for 2024, but be sure to mark your calendars for the 24th-26th October 2025 next year when the Good Food & Wine Show returns to Brisbane, or sign up for the newsletter to stay up to date @ https://goodfoodshow.com.au/. See you next year!

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Foodie Heaven – The Perth Good Food and Wine Show

The Perth Good Food & Wine Show, presented by Kleenheat, rolls(rolled) into town from 21-23rd July at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre this weekend.

This particular author celebrated on arrival with a delicious plate of melted French Raclette Cheese, and that was before even reaching the cheese corner.

The exhibition has a fun filled atmosphere and it is a delight to wander around to select the stallholders that stash your personal favourites. But do try to pace yourself as there is lots to discover.

The Good Food and Wine Show really is foodie heaven with all manner of events, activities, wines, gins, spiced rums amongst many other liquid refreshment opportunities.

Book signings and cooking demonstrations abound and there are extra special activities to enjoy such as a Discovery Tasting room ensuring a perfectly matched blend of wine to cuisine. Whether you are into Asian, Italian, Taps or Greek you’ll soon learn which wines to choose and when.

Not to be missed is the Cellar Tasting Room where you can enjoy the Cellar Collection’s Red Tasting session and test out your senses, and learn how to evaluate wine.

And naturally there are lots of samples of all kinds to enjoy, with a small tasting of honeycakes being amongst my personal favourites. But really there is everything here:- biltong, salami’s, cheeses, candys, herbs, spices, sauces – you name it- there was something there for every kind of foodie out there!

With only a few days to run, if you can’t make it this year, you should definitely add the Perth Good Food and Wine Show to your calendar for next year. After all, good food and good wine is good for the soul!

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Good Food and Wine Show

The Good Food and Wine Show rolls into the International Convention Centre in Sydney this weekend (June 23rd-25th), and it is not one to miss. Hall 2 of the ICC hosts a massive range of vendors this year, with food and drinks to satisfy all your cravings and curiosities.

A fun, carnival atmosphere hits visitors as they enter by Liqueurs on the Lawns, equipped with its very own DJ provided by Cointreau. For those who like a little spice in their life, Cointreau offers a spicy margarita made with Tabasco sauce, sure to warm anyone up in the cold Sydney weather. If spice is your thing, I recommend wandering over to the White Oat Distillery stall and checking out their Chilli Mango gin.

An avid gin drinker like myself is spoiled for choice this year, with local favourites Manly Spirits making a good showing and interstate distilleries like Underground Spirits, Canberra Distillery and Naught Distilling. This year’s surprise was Gin Mare, an olive and thyme savoury gin that would go perfectly with a nice charcuterie board and a lovely, crisp cheddar.

Speaking of cheeses, the Cheese Corner this year did not disappoint. Though small in terms of the number of vendors, the array of cheeses on offer was anything but. A nice mix of soft and hard cheeses is available to sample, and the general direction appears to be flavoured cheeses, with vendors providing less of the good old-fashioned basics, at least to sample. For those who purchased the Cheese Lovers ticket this year, the cooler bag provided with your ticket will be very useful.

Those with dietary restrictions need not miss out either. Amongst the cheese vendors is Noshing, priding themselves on creating 100% dairy-free cheeses that taste as good as the traditionally made cheeses available elsewhere. There were also a variety of non-alcoholic drinks to sample and many sugar-free and vegan options. The V2Food Plant-Based cooking stage could almost convince me to turn vegan, with the absolutely delicious dumplings and pies coming out semi-regularly.

There are classes and workshops aplenty for those who desire to brush up on their skills or perhaps try something new. I joined the Sodastream Mixology Moments masterclass in cocktail making. The two hosts, Penny and Stephanie, were a delight. They were incredibly personable and helpful and clearly loved what they were doing.

There is a also a little bit of celebrity action happening this weekend. Spanish-Australian chef Miguel Maestre, known for his work on Channel 10s The Living Room is teaching several classes and demonstrations, giving lucky viewers a chance to try his cooking firsthand. My Kitchen Rules judge Manu Feildel is also making an appearance and teaching some classes of his own.

The 2023 Good Food and Wine Show is full to the brim with delectable food and drinks ready for the eager foodie or keen wine connoisseur. Any lover of good food would be a fool to miss out on this event.

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