Slow food movement to be showcased as part of Taste of Chittering

THE food and wine of Chittering will be showcased this month as the region celebrates its sixth Taste of Chittering event.

The event, at Nesci Estate Wines, will showcase some of the region’s finest produce.

A new addition to this year’s event is food demonstrations and tastings by chef and leader in the slow food movement Vincenzo Velletri focusing on local and healthy produce.

Mr Velletri said he was looking forward to sharing the slow food philosophy.

“Slow food is all about preserving traditional cuisine and encouraging sustainable farming of plants and livestock, and the importance of healthy and local produce,” he said.

“I hope we can share this philosophy – what we do and why we do it – and make people aware of the amazing produce there is to offer here.”

Mr Velletri will be preparing local asparagus risotto with fresh goat cheese, beef stew with fresh local peas made with chuck steak, beef skewers marinated with Indigenous herbs, cooked on the wood fired grill and served with Maverick desert lime-infused oil and focaccia filled with locally grown silver beet, garlic and olives baked in the wood-fired oven.

This year the event will also be used to launch an exciting new food and wine trail in the region, the Chittering Farm Flavour Trail, which features a string of local farms and wineries.

Live entertainment will be playing throughout the event, while visitors can browse a number of local market schools and taste beer, wine and cider at the tasting shed.

Shire of Chittering President Gordon Houston said the event would showcase the Chittering Valley.

“A Taste of Chittering is the Shire’s signature event of the year and showcases all the region has to offer,” he said. “We are fortunate to have the Slow Food chefs on board this year presenting culinary delicacies and sampled for everyone to try.”

Kevin Nesci from Nesci Estate Wines said he was thrilled to be hosting the Taste of Chittering for 2018.

“Our winery is the oldest in the region and a real hidden gem. We’re thrilled to have people come here and experience the winery and all the produce that will be on offer throughout the day,” he said.

The Taste of Chittering will be held at Nesci Estate Wines on August 26 from 10am to 3pm.