SLOW Food Melbourne announces the launch of Cook Here and Now, a series of events which bring together a group of people to share in the selection, preparation and consumption of a locally-sourced meal.

Four events are planned in regional Victoria over the winter of 2010, centered around farmers’ markets and seasonal, regional produce. A menu will be prepared for each event based on produce available at a local farmers’ market, and the meal preparation will include skill-sharing activities such as making a fresh cheese, pasta or sausages.

The first will be held in Foster, South Gippsland, on Sat 17 Apr 2010. Others will be held:

• Sat 1 May: Daylesford Farmers’ Market
• Sun 4 Jul:  Hurstbridge Farmers’ Market
• Sat 28 Aug: Lancefield Farmers’ Market

‘It was a good day when I chanced upon the Cook Here and Now concept in San Francisco.’ says Slow Food Melbourne president Alison Peake. ‘We got talking to locals who told us about this great concept that brought people together to shop, cook and share food, buying the best local produce, mostly sourced from farmers’ markets or direct from producers. Being cheeky Australians we went straight to Marco Flavio and asked to take the concept to Melbourne. Now we are sharing the idea with Victoria to profile local producers and the concept of eating seasonally.’

Cook Here and Now is an initiative of Roman-born photographer and food lover Marco Flavio Marinucci. Victoria is the first region outside the United States to produce Cook Here and Now, following presentations in San Francisco, California and Austin, Texas.

Cook Here and Now in Foster, South Gippsland
The first event of the series will take place in Foster, South Gippsland, on Sat 17 Apr 2010 at the Prom Country Farmers’ Market and is presented in partnership with Foster Primary School, a proud participant in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden programme. Three students and the coordinator of the programme in Foster, Kim Albert, will participate in the event.

Melbourne-based chef Pauline Leonard, who operates ‘Cooking the Italian Way’ classes and food and wine tours, has prepared a menu for the event around South Gippsland’s produce, including fresh, wild-caught fish, seasonal fruit and vegetables, olive oil, fresh cheese and hazelnuts.

How it works
Participants will meet at 8:00am and meet the producers on a guided tour of the Prom Country Farmers’ Market with market manager Juneen Schulz. Produce will be selected according to the menu prepared under the guidance of chef Pauline Leonard, and purchased. The group then adjourns to the Foster War Memorial Arts Centre’s commercial kitchen, adjacent to the market, to begin cooking. Any participants who are unable to join in with the cooking can assist with preparations by setting tables and organising beverages. After the feast, participants share in the clean up and then make a farm visit to Golden Creek Olives in Fish Creek, whose olive oil will be incorporated into the meal. There are no participation fees, just a contribution of $35 per head to the cost of the meal.

Event details

• Date: Sat 17 Apr 2010
• Time: 8:00am – 3:00pm
• Location: Prom Country Farmers’ Market, Main Street and Kaffir Hill Road corner, Foster, South Gippsland, Victoria 3960
• Programme, including what you need to bring, and booking information

More information

• Slow Food Melbourne email
• see Cook Here and Now website

The 2010 Cook Here and Now events across Victoria are presented by Slow Food Melbourne and generously supported by the Victorian Government through Regional Development Victoria.