Mt Dandenong Village food and wine festival committee members put the final touches on their plans, from left, Brad Boulhalis, Ben Higgs, Justine Berlin, Dee Petney, Graeme Geldhill, Mary Knight, Angela Onezime, Lesley McCulloch with Amelia Simes, and front Jilly and Marcus Simes.THE best of the Dandenong Ranges has to offer will be highlighted at the inaugural Mt Dandenong Village Food and Wine Festival on Sunday, 27 November.
Mt Dandenong Village committee member Moss Siddle said the festival was a great way to raise the profile of specialist foods and beverages available in the hills.
The festival will include street stalls selling local artisan breads, preserves, fresh pasta, smoked meats and small goods.
Local boutique wines from Elmswood, Five Oaks Vineyard and Ainsworth estate will also be available for tasting.
Top chefs from the area will conduct cooking demonstrations and master classes on topics such as cooking with secondary cuts of meat, perfect fish dishes, and food from Morocco and the Middle East.
While the adults are kept entertained by the food and wine delights, local and visiting youngsters will put their cake making skills to the test in a bake off.
A battle between the retailers and the restaurateurs will take centre stage at 11am when they go head to head in a tug of war.
Young children will be kept entertained all day with face painting, pony rides and a petting zoo.
A competition of a different kind will see locals and visitors battling it out for the Blundstone throwing competition at 2.30pm.
Continuing with a traditional country festival theme barrel racing will take centre stage at Mt Dandenong Hotel’s car park at 3.30pm.
Rounding off a day of entertainment and tasting will be the first ever Mt Dandenong Village progressive dinner.
The dinner will allow visitors and locals to enjoy four specially created courses at four local eateries.
Wild Oak Café, chef Ben Higgs said the menu had been designed to have an emphasis on quality local produce, and would be accompanied by regional wines.
The festival will start at 9am and will run all day and will be located in the village on the corner of Mt Dandenong Tourist and Ridges Roads, Mt Dandenong.
