Celebrities and sausages collide at final weekend of Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
Federation Square will resemble the love child of a school fete and a red carpet event during the first weekend of April, as Melbourne Food and Wine Festivalstages two free events: Celebrity Sausage and Baker’s Dozen.
Journalist and gourmand Virginia Trioli, AFL star Christian Petracca and broadcaster Chrissie Swan are among those who have shared their ultimate sausage-in-bread recipe for Celebrity Sausage, with gourmet butcher Meatsmith making the snags.
“It was a pretty fun brief to give to the celebs,” says Pat Nourse, creative director of the festival. “We told them: we want to make your wildest sausage sanga dreams come true. The only criteria was to eat it with one hand.”
Comedian Rhys Nicholson is riffing on Peking duck with his sausage sanga while Petracca is channelling the Middle East with a lamb and harissa sausage, yoghurt and a herb salad.
Chefs are also having a go. The Karen Martini involves Sri Lankan curried pork sausage with vermicelli and mung beans, while visiting London chef Lee Tiernan is topping a Sichuan pepper sausage with mapo tofu sauce. All sausages are $14.
“It’s not a competition but … the celeb watchers are going to have a keen eye on who sells the most,” says Nourse.
Across the square, 13 of Melbourne’s top bakeries and patisseries are gathering in one place for Baker’s Dozen, the kind of weekend morning that dreams are made of. Lune Croissanterie, Black Star Pastry, Bread Club and Tarts Anon will showcase signature bakes and one-off creations, such as a hot cross bun tart or, at Bread Club, hot cross buns filled with limited-edition ice-cream by Luther’s Scoops.
Cake-wise, the frilled and fanciful creations of Mali Bakes will be joined by Holy Sugar favourites such as Basque cheesecake. Savoury fans will be catered for, especially by Argentinian-Australian bakery To Be Frank, and Kudo is doing entirely gluten-free palmiers, sausage rolls and caneles.
“Basically: have your sweet hand and your savoury hand,” Nourse advises. “Think about a game plan, get your nearest and dearest to target the stalls and join a queue. It will move fast and furious.”
Industry Beans will be making coffee, or there’s $2 coffee from festival partner 7-Eleven.
Entry to both events is free and all-ages friendly, with no bookings required.
From 10.30am until sold out, Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2, Federation Square, Melbourne. Details: melbournefoodandwine.com.au