TRADES and autumn produce will be the stars of Sovereign Hill\u2019s Heritage Harvest Weekend, part of Ballarat Heritage Festival.<\/p>\n
Visitors can learn how to pickle, distil, ferment, cure, salt, and dry preserve with a host of events and masterclasses.<\/p>\n
It is a foodie\u2019s paradise, with samples of the region\u2019s best food available to try and renowned chefs Busuttil Nishimura, Tony Tan and Tim Bone dishing up delicious treats, and sharing their secrets.<\/p>\n
The weekend is designed to celebrate goldrush life, culture and rare trades, with experts sharing the tricks of craftspeople from the 1850s.<\/p>\n
Tan, one of Australia\u2019s most respected teachers, will be sharing the ancient art of dumpling making.<\/p>\n
His interactive demonstration will share how to fold, the magic of condiments and the wide nature of dumplings\u2019 influence on the global food scene.<\/p>\n
\u201cDumplings are a very exciting area because a lot of people love eating dumplings,\u201d said Tan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m debunking the myth that they\u2019re a little bit too hard to make.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his masterclass, Tan will show participants how to make a Sichuan spicy pork dumpling and a zucchini and dill dumpling with fermented tofu.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people who are vegetarian need protein and fermented tofu is fantastic,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a fascinating topic to discuss.\u201d<\/p>\n
The art of folding will then be on display as Tan will demonstrate how to create a range of shapes.<\/p>\n
Ballarat has a strong connection to dumplings, with Chinese food having historic roots in the Ballarat region.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a fantastic history of Chinese people who came in the 1800s, which means for me it\u2019s showing part of our heritage in Ballarat,\u201d said Tan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got so much to celebrate, and we\u2019ve got to tell the whole world what\u2019s happening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tans masterclass will take place at 11.45am on Saturday, 27 May. To find out more or book a session visit hhw.sovereignhill.com.au.<\/p>\n