A selection of the region's finest local producers will host seven exclusive workshops to feature in this year's Orange FOOD Week festivities.
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Dubbed Shine the Light on Local Producers for 2023, organisers are gearing up to deliver a slew of special invitation-only sessions for event-goers to attend.
With each gig to be held in Robertson Park's CWA Hall, Orange's FOOD Week committee hosted a pre-launch gathering at the site on Wednesday.
Thanking the festival's sponsors for their support of the event, the committee's president said while the event has been around for 30 years, the last decade has brought a three-fold growth.
"In the last 10 years, [Orange FOOD Week] has tripled in size so that's the sort of scale we're operating at," Ms Gundry said.
This will be the home of the night market on the first night which will hopefully [bring] about 5000 people.
- FOOD Week committee president, Charlotte Gundry.
"This will be the home of the night market on the first night which will hopefully [bring] about 5000 people."
Sponsors of the 2023 event include John Cook Real Estate, Newcrest Mining Limited, the NSW government, Orange Motor Group, Quest Orange, Rex Airlines, and both Orange and Cabonne councils.
A first-time company to join the sponsoring ranks is Newcrest Mining following the introduction of its Regional Event Fund back in 2022.
Newcrest's senior community relations specialist, Melissa O'Brien said while the start-up funds were well-established for the big food gig, the corporation is "more than" happy to put some extra weight behind it.
"The goal is to be able to bolster events in the community [and] there are lots of little events within FOOD Week that we wanted to be able to support to continue to grow in the industry," Ms O'Brien said.
"One of our key pillars in the community partnership program is around tourism and for us that's really important as well, because it's bringing people into the region and hopefully bringing them to come and live locally."
"I think it's a great event and I think it's well-supported by our workforce, as well."
Running from March 24 until April 1, the daily program of featured gig will start from 10:30am and run through to 12 midday.
The seven events to headline are titled Garlic + Preserves, Pork with Saffron, Apples and Chocolate, Bees and Cheese, Figs and Sweet Treats, Curry and Sophie Hansen, and Chicken and Cooking for the Soul.
Program details have been released by Orange 360 as follows:
Sunday, March 26: Garlic + Preserves
- Dougal Munro from Boutique Garlic will be joined by Richard Dowling from Franklin Road Preserves at our opening event. You'll hear stories about backyards full of cucumbers and the "birth of" Richard's famous the eggplant chutney (Brinjal Kasundi) and learn about the different production methods; conventional, organic, biodynamic, holistic and scientific used to grow beautiful fresh garlic.
Monday, March 27: Pork with Saffron
- Zanzie D'souza from Trunkey Bacon and Pork talks pigs; all-Australian 100% locally grown pork products - bacon, ham, salami, pancetta and European style speck, Kessler and more and is joined by Angela Argyle from Argyle Saffron (Winners of a Gold Medal in the 2021 Harvey Norman Delicious Awards). Zanzie and Angela are both passionate about their produce and meticulous in their processes. They share enthusiasm for farming and producing quality food. You will learn the secrets to successful of growing and harvesting and cooking with Saffron and how to make the most out of cooking with pork and saffron.
Tuesday, March 28: Bees and Cheese
- Claire Bennett's family have been beekeeping for more than 36 year and run the Beekeepers Inn at Vittoria, near Millthorpe. Joining Claire is S.J Pienaar from Second Mouse Cheese Company, who became an Artisan Cheese maker after attending a cheese making workshop. Cheese making, honey and bees wax products are ancient industries - join Clare and SJ as they share their modern take on these foods and products, how they are tackling environmental and seasonal challenges and their food journey so far.
Wednesday, March 29: Apples and Chocolate
- Paula Charnock from Thornbrook Orchard and Hillside Harvest, is a third-generation orchardist and knows how fruit trees thrive in the fertile organic soils around Mount Canobolas. Lisa Tyack from Millthorpe Chocolate, is a chocolatier who handmakes her chocolates from the finest Belgian chocolate, including her signature Hot Chocolate. Find out why Sarah came to the region and hear some of her trade secrets. Paula will share her experiences in growing quality fruit in a cool climate and the nuances of the different varieties of apples for cooking and eating. You'll get to taste their wares and buy some to take home for later.
Thursday, March 30: Figs and Sweet Treats
- David Norland from Norland Fig Orchard has 600 trees of the most amazing varieties of figs! Kerrie Ford from Sweet Treats Connection loves to share her passion for gourmet delicacies and the "musts" for the perfect High Tea. David has a very personal story about how he started out producing figs and the sensational and various ways you can use figs. Together with Kerrie's hand crafted treats and exquisite dark fruit cakes you won't know what to taste first.
Friday, March 31: Curry and Sophie Hansen
- Renee and Brad Sinclair and their family from Burtons Lane Curry lovingly hand crafted Indian-style curry paste, Kassundi and pickles on their family farm. Sophie Hansen is a celebrated author, Food editor, social media and marketing icon, deer farmer, and awarded Australian Rural Woman of the Year. We can't wait to see what is in store when these food lovers and accomplished story tellers come together.
Saturday, April 1: Chicken and Cooking for the Soul
- Rodger Shannon from Carbeen Pastured Products is all about holistic farming. He produces Eggs, Beef, Lamb, Wool, Chicken and Duck and grows grain for the poultry production. Sisters Karly and Shannon Weathered grew up cooking from an early age and now run Orange's Pickle & Fig Café together. Come and meet this passionate producer and cook - learn about Rodger's produce, hear their stories, Karly's cooking tips and recipes, and taste delicious samples.
A night market in Robertson Park will officially launch the event from 5:30pm to 8:30pm on Friday, March 24.
Head online to the Orange FOOD Week website for more information and to book or join session waitlists.
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