Local ingredients, professional cooking lessons
Last month we were stoked to join the Taranaki Edge of Winter Feastival - an epic festival celebrating local food.
We invited the award-winning talented chef Nicolo Vogliotti to pass on his culinary wisdom using ingredients sourced from Farmers Market Taranaki.
Four recipes, fresh flavours and an incredible display chef made dishes - it was a foodie's morning not to be missed!!
Celebrating the flavours of Taranaki
Nico curated 4 delicious dishes using fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised eggs, handmade pasta, organic wine, mānuka honey and more ingredients hand selected from our vibrant farmers market stalls.
Honey macadamia carrots
Orange, endive and fennel salad
Oyster mushroom and garlic sausage pasta
Kombucha zabaione
Our guests enjoyed absorbing the new skills and tips learned from professional chef Nico, along with savouring local platters of dips, breads and kombucha, and sampling all the dishes made live. Even a couple of sous chef's were happily recruited.
Learning to love seasonal kai
Everyone had an absolute BLAST! It was such a treat seeing chef Nico in his element, with everyone enthralled with the beautiful chaos of colour, flavour, sizzle and crunch as he worked his magic.
Shopping seasonally can be intimidating. Encountering a foreign veggie like endive, sorrel, oyster mushrooms or running out of options for what the heck to do silverbeet can keep you sticking to carrots and lettuce as your go-to's.
Nico is helping us change that tricky-vege and seasonal eating narrative. Crafting new meals with new ingredients can be fun, exciting and totally delicious.
It just takes a lil' bit of learning, empowered knowledge and adventurous tastebuds 😉
But why farmers markets? The joy of connecting with your food
Picture this: ultra-fresh, just picked this morning fruit and vege, warm sourdough loaves, free-range eggs and a barista-made cuppa. All whilst catching up with your community and the friendly faces behind each stall who lovingly made your food.
There's often groovy tunes, breaky options and an awesome variety of locally grown and made food and drink ready to tick off your weekly grocery list - minus the massive food miles, middle men and price hikes. It's affordable fresh food that feeds our community and local economy.
Human connection, sustainability, transparency and OF COURSE, delicious food that's handmade and grown for you.
Pop on down to check it all out, it may just become your favourite part of the week 🌞
Our heart-felt thank you's 💚
Ngā mihi maioha and a huge thank you to Nico for helping us share the love for local food. It was awesome to see him in his happy place, providing practical and approachable tips on cooking with new ingredients and seasonal produce in such a FUN way - You're a legend Nico!
Thank you also to Feastival Taranaki, Rachel for organising another incredible food festival celebrating our abundant region and talented food creators.
To our attendees, thank you for enjoying local food with us! Your enthusiasm made for a brilliant morning of great chats, learning and connection.
Lastly to TOI Foundation, for kindly having us at their beautiful new community space - kia ora rawa atu.
Your in-house chef experience
Experience exquisite fine-dining in the comfort your home, friends and whānau.
To learn more about chef Nicolo and his private chef and catering services, visit his website:
https://www.toretcucinaitaliana.co.nz
You can also say hey! to Nico each Sunday at Farmers Market Taranaki with fresh pasta, sauces and authentic cannoli at his Toret Cucina Italiana stall.
We also look forward to hosting another cooking demo again soon! Sign up to our newsletter to be first to know 👀
