Can't work out what to see? Here are some of the program highlights for 2013.
Earth MasterClass
CERES Community Environment Park, March 8, $435.
It is the unofficial opening party for the 2013 festival, a gathering of local and international chefs to the scenic quarters of CERES for an afternoon and evening devoted to food and the earth in all her beauty. Join Matt Wilkinson as he pulls plants from the ground (among discussions of the importance of nurturing soil) to prepare a seasonal feast. See Honolulu's Ed Kenney explore the notion of family and tradition through his knowledge of imu (Hawaii's version of the New Zealand hangi). An eight-hour celebration of food and information finishing in a moonlit feast hosted by Matt Preston.
Reserve 10-year anniversary
The Press Club, March 12, $145.
Before George Calombaris and MasterChef, there was Reserve, a Melbourne restaurant that broke the mould. George and the original Reserve team are back to celebrate the iconic past that has brought them to the present.
Lights Out
Bohemian at South Wharf, March 5 and 12, $85.
No fridges, freezers or lights; re-engage with old-school methods of preserving, flaming and underground cooling at a five-course fiesta designed to frame the food of bygone Spain within a different context. Listen in post-dinner as head chef Josep Espuga mingles to explain techniques.
A Mexican tour
Mamasita, March 3, $120.
The longest line in town just got shorter – famed for its lengthy queues and no-bookings policy, Mamasita is opening the phone lines for a one-off, reservations-only degustation of produce from both Victoria and Mexico. Lock in for tastings of obscure ingredients and lessons in tequila.
Vine to Wine
Mandala Wines March 16, $1500.
A trifecta of experiences is the hallmark of an event that offers wine lovers the chance to get their hands dirty in the creation of their own bottle. Begin with aday of picking, crushing and blending before a suckling-pig feast in the vineyard. As the year progresses, return twice to taste wine from the barrel and decide on a final blend, then take home three-dozen bottles labelled specially for the event. Only 20 places are available for this incredible vine-to-wine experience, which is intended to excite the palates of passionate amateur winemakers.
High country food and wine trip
Victoria, March 14-17, $1349.
Set aside 72 hours for a delicious three-day insight into the food and wine highlights of Victoria's north-east, scouting everything from butter and Boonderoo Farm chestnuts to wine and wagyu. Includes a seat at the North-East World's Longest Lunch and a prosecco breakfast at Brown Brothers.
Carcass to Coals
Yarraville March 10, $280.
Carve it up at a tutorial as butcher Troy Wheeler breaks down a Berkshire pig to be cooked in coal by Hobba chef Josh Powell. The pig is brought from the paddock by producer Lauren Mathers.
Smokin' with Gavin Baker
Little Hunter, March 10, $150.
It's barbecue, but not as we know it. Forget charred snags, the Fat Duck alumnus and North Carolina native Gavin Hunter is sharing his secrets on smoking meats – a delicate art that involves much more than a simple open fire. Learn to match woods to meat and fish while Baker highlights various methods of infusion. Taste the subtleties as the event finishes with five superbly smoky courses, each paired with suitable wines.
Camembert cheesemaking class
Ballarat, March 16, $220.
Master the secrets of French cheesemaking and take home your own camembert in a full-day course that takes in lessons on DIY ricotta and yoghurt, topped off with morning tea and a two-course lunch.
Hook, lunch and sinker
Stokehouse March 3, $190.
From Port Phillip to the frying pan, head out on a fishing adventure with Stokehouse head chef Ollie Gould in a seafaring take on understanding provenance. Dry off in the upstairs restaurant as your catch is prepared by the kitchen team, then sit and eat with the chef.
Thai jungle curry cooking class
Gingerboy, March 2 and 9, $235.
Get up close and personal with the aromatics of northern Thailand in a tutorial focused on tradition: chefs will take you through the makings of a jungle curry before you taste the results, wine in hand.
Fishing & flavours
Pizzini Wines, March 17, $280.
One for the fishing fanatics. Spend an afternoon perfecting fly-fishing techniques with two of the King Valley's best fly-casting and fishing instructors on the banks of the beautiful King River – pristine water flowing along Pizzini Wines' family vineyard. Techniques will be practised before an abundant lunch, fortification for a guided afternoon on the river to put into action what's been learnt and bag that elusive trout. Quench any thirst with a day's-end private wine tasting with Alfred Pizzini.
The art of craft brewing
Ballarat, March 16-17, $75.
Trip up to central Victoria for a masterclass in beer, taking in everything from traditional barley beers to new-era gluten-free drops. A side in craft brewing allows for honing your own brews, before settling down to a beer-friendly graze.
The steer ate the beer
Bright Brewery, March 16, $120.
Beer-swilling wagyu? Not quite. Understand the relationship between grain growing, beer brewing and fattening and eating this highly prized beef at a lunch serving up beer-fed, full-blood wagyu.
Bush food flavours cooking school
Peppermint Ridge Farm, Tynong North (Gippsland) March 17, $95.
With 15 years of experience growing bush foods, the folk at Peppermint Ridge are hosting a how-to of cooking with native flavours. The afternoon includes lunch and a garden and nursery tour.
Picnic in the vines
Redbank Winery, March 17, free.
A tapas-style showcase of wineand food of Victoria's Pyrenees in a vineyard setting.
Pop, Rock and Pearls, The Aylesbury
March 9, $150.
Free-flowing caviar, champagne and oysters will lure those with a yen for the luxurious to the Aylesbury’s rooftop terrace and bar for an evening of seductive indulgence. Get up close with the oyster producers who will be shucking bountiful bivalves on the night and learn more about the prized sea-grown treasure, while also rubbing shoulders with experts and producers of caviar and champagne.
Salt of the Earth, The Dispensary Enoteca, Bendigo
March 15, $145.
Return to the decade that rocked with a 1960s-themed celebration of the doyenne of Australian cooking, Margaret Fulton, and the release of her influential 1968 cookbook. Sit down to contemporary interpretations of her classic recipes: ’60s dress code is de rigueur, baby.
Traditional pickers’ lunch, De Bortoli
March 15, $120.
Enjoy the art of celebration, vintner-style, preluded with a vintage experience that has viticulturists sharing the finer details of winemaking.
Crown’s MFWF live site, Crown Riverwalk
March 9-11, free.
Get into a festive mood with a stroll of Crown’s outdoor showcase, an arena of colour, food and movement; taste signature dishes from Nobu, the Atlantic and Bistro Guillaume on the banks of the Yarra.
When the earth gave back, the Lui Bar, Vue de monde
March 14, $140.
A re-creation of the opulence that was a hallmark of Melbourne’s gold rush. Cocktail historian Sebastian Reaburn will join Melbourne food historian Charmaine O’Brien in a stand-up presentation and degustation of rare food and cocktails inspired by the Criterion’s Old Colonists’ Dinner of 1853.
Crush, stomp, drink; Epocha
March 9, $150.
Those who have ever had a yen to venture into hitherto unexplored winemaking territory, take note of this opportunity. Epocha and Domaine Carlei G2 winemaker David Carlei are banding together to help the curious create their own wine. The event begins with crushing and stomping before a light lunch. Mark a spot in the diary for a call back later in the year as participants will be invited to return to sample the wine they helped create, accompanied by a feast prepared by chef Mick Bolam. Truly, the gift that keeps on giving.
Digging for culture, Lui Bar at Vue de Monde
March 6, $140.
From muddy streets to pavements lined with gold, experience a retelling of Melbourne’s gold-fuelled transformation from grubby town to budding city in just 10 years through the drinks that defined the era. Five courses and gold-rush cocktails to match.
Cheeky Rascal’s cider tour, Mornington Peninsula
March 17, $99.
Cider-house rules during this guided bus tour, with enthusiasts visiting both well-known and boutique producers of the fermented apple tipple before (and after) lunch at T’Gallant, followed by strawberry picking at Sunny Ridge.
The earthly temptation of beer
March 2, $95.
An urban look at brewing as its done in Brunswick East, blending a quartet of earthly ingredients (grain, hops, yeast and water) into the beverage Australians love to love.
■ See melbournefoodandwine.com.au
■ For the full festival program, see Friday's Age.
■ Tickets go on sale on Friday.
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