The Good Food & Wine Show (www.goodfoodshow.com.au)with over 300 exhibitors will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th June this year, then in the Sydney Exhibition Centre Darling Harbour from Friday 23rd June to Sunday 25th June. The show will include celebrity cook-offs, a sensory tunnel to discover the food and wine offerings of New Zealand, and an Exhibition of Victorian Winemakers.

The Brisbane Good Food & Wine Show will be held at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre from November 10 to 12.

PRODUCE PARTNERS
It's on again! Vogue Entertaining + Travel's Produce Awards in partnership with Audi are again looking to congratulate and reward Australia's finest produce. A prestigious judging panel, great prizes and a great honour to be selected. There are several categories, and nominations close November 1st, 2006. Details and nomination forms: www.vogue-entertaining.com.au

PIES GALORE
Start up the ovens - the next Great Aussie Pie Competition is planned for September 11-14 this year at Fine Food Australia in Melbourne. Full details www.finefoodexpo.com.au

GET IT RIGHT
If you produced package food, read this. The Australian Standard requires most packaged food to be date marked. Since December 2002, all packaged goods with a shelf life of less than two years must have a ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date stamped on the box, wrapper or bottle. Call Industry TechLink on 1800 111 485 for information on determining the shelf life of packaged food.

TRUFFLE HUNTING 2006
The Wine & Truffle Company (p 409) 2006 truffle hunt season commences on weekends and public holidays from early June to early September in Manjimup, WA . Bookings are limited to allow small manageable groups ensuring that every participant has the opportunity to be up close to the action enjoying a more intimate truffle hunt experience. Advanced bookings are recommended as vacancies may not be available on the day. Phone 08 9777 2474 or email  sales@wineandtruffle.com.au or fax 08 9204 1013 for further information.

PEPPERS CALSTOCK PEPS UP:
Peppers Calstock, Tasmania, (new listing) has enhanced the classic elegance of its interior with the development of three guest rooms in the east wing of the historic Georgian mansion. The Chambre Champagne suite, the Chambre Mauve twin room, and the Chambre Ebene queen room give three more reasons to visit and enjoy the magnificent local produce and fine food provided by hosts Remi and Ginette Bancal.
For further information and bookings please contact Peppers Calstock calstock@peppers.com.au or +61 3 6362 2642 or go to www.peppers.com.au
  

CONGRATULATIONS!
Australian Tourism  Awards recently honoured several places mentioned in the Australian Regional Food Guide.
Kingfisher Bay Resort and Village, Queensland (p 140) for Ecotourism.
Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, WA (p 420-1) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism and Unique Accommodation.
Murraylands Tourism Marketing, SA (p 249-51) for Destination Promotion.
Spirit House Restaurant& Cooking School, Qld (180) for Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services.
 Congratulations to you all!

Coming Event! _ Lovedale Long Lunch, Culinary delights from local Hunter Valley restaurants carefully matched to complement the winemaker’s selection of wines at various Hunter Valley, NSW,  wineries. Shuttle bus available. Saturday 20th May & Sunday 21st May 2006, 10am to 4pm, www.lovedalelonglunch.com.au

HEAD FOR THE HILLS
The Adelaide Hilton chef Simon Bryant and his team at The Brasserie are out to promote Seriously South Australian cuisine from 13 March – 30 April 2006, featuring one of South Australia’s gourmet food and wine regions every six weeks. First off is the Adelaide Hills: Bird in Hand, Udder Delights, Beerenberg, Foods From The Edge, Willabrand Figs, Tumbeela, Paris Creek and Hahndorf Venison, with an “Adelaide Hills Seriously Game” cooking class co-hosted by guest chef Andrew Fielke. www.hilton.com

HEAD FOR VICTORIA'S COAST OR COUNTRY
Melbourne is ideal situated to make the most of the entire state of Victoria. The Wine Lover's Guide to Melbourne & Surrounds (Hardie Grant Books, rrp $39.95) covers Melbourne, Geelong, Bellarine, Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Phillip Island, Dandenong Ranges, Ballarat, Daylesford, Macedon Ranges, and Nagambie, all within 90 minutes of Melbourne and ideal as a day trip or overnight stay.
This stunning book, an essential touring companion, has been put together by food and wine experts Michael Harden, Michele Curtis, Allan Campion (pictured at launch in Melbourne) and Claude Forell with photography by Simon Griffiths, Adrian Lander and Mark Roper, plus an introduction by Melbourne's own Stephanie Alexander.  

FIGS!

Hunter Valley Gardens Orchard is currently producing an abundant harvest of succulent figs. The organically based orchard is proving popular with chefs across the property, who relish the opportunity to create menus around the fresh seasonal produce grown on site. 

Chef de Cuisine, Guy Parkinson  of Lazzarini’s Italian Restaurant, Tallawanta Lodge in the Hunter Valley Gardens complex (www.hvg.com.au) is open for dinner every night and for lunch on weekends. To taste those fabulous figs, dine before April 30th, when the menu changes. Chef also recommends looking out for Hunter Valley Gardens’ own fig jam, sold exclusively on site.

Victorian Producers’ Market
Melbourne Food & Wine is planning the largest gathering of Victorian producers in Melbourne’s CBD ever; the Victorian Producers’ Market, on Saturday 18 March at the Melbourne Museum Livesite during the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. The plaza of the Melbourne Museum will be transformed into a bustling regional producers’ market as we celebrate the best of Victoria’s seasonal bounty from Korweiggumbook to Pheasant Creek, and from Port Campbell to Leongatha. 
Date: Saturday 18 March | Time: 9am – 4pm | Cost: Admission Free, produce sold at various prices, | Venue: Plaza of the Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street, Carlton
Inquiries: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au or call 03 9823 610

City Food and Wine Month 
This premier culinary extravaganza presented by the City of Perth features a smorgasbord of food and wine events during the four weeks of March. A big range of lunch and dinner offers, gourmet cooking classes, master class demonstrations, wine and food tastings, food tours, Saint Patrick's Day celebrations and long weekend specials in city hotels will make March a gastronomical feast. Tel: + 61 89461 3368

Mandurah Crab Fest, 11-12 March 2006 
During this exciting weekend period, a vibrant festival story unfolds as the community joins to celebrate Mandurah's humble, but renowned crustacean, the blue swimmer crab. A showcase of seafood, cooking demonstrations, food and market stalls, street parades, water carnival and a jazz concert attracts more than 80,000 people to the festival each year. Tel: + 61 8 9550 3777 
Email: jodie-d@mandurah.wa.gov.au 

STOP PRESS
Invitation to the Launch of the 2006 Territory Culinary Challenge.
The Australian Culinary Federation NT Branch (ACFNT) are launching the Territory Culinary Challenge on Friday 3 March 2006 at 11.30am in the Smith St Mall at the Woolworths end. This is a competition between leading Darwin restaurants to showcase dishes created using fresh Territory ingredients. Featured produce includes camel, mud crab, buffalo, goldband snapper and in season local fruits and vegetables. The competition runs from March to May 2006 and is your chance to taste these unique Territory foods. Friday's Launch kicks off the competition so make sure you come and see the chefs creating their dishes and YES!! you get to try what they cook. More information: Michelle Braham - michelle.braham@nt.gov.au
       

COOK WITH THE BEST
Geelong's highly acclaimed Pettavel Winery & Restaurant (p 309) has launched their 2006 cooking class program conducted by Head Chef Richard Hooper and sous chef Matt Dempsey. Classes which will run from April to October are already booking fast. Pettavel had an overwhelming response to classes last year where approximately 400 food enthusiasts participated, traveling from as far afield as Warrnambool, Ballarat & Melbourne.  The class program can be downloaded from www.pettavel.com http://www.pettavel.com .  Pettavel was awarded 'Overall Winner' and 'Best Restaurant' in the Telstra Country Wide Golden Plate Awards in 2004 and 2005 and has been recipient of The Age Good Food Guide, “One HAT”, rating in 2003, 2004, 2005 & 2006.  

MOUNTAIN HIGH!
The Blue Mountains Fine Food and Wine Fair, at Blackheath is on again! A deliciously indulgent weekend for lovers of great food and wine. A collection of around 30 stalls showcasing the creative dishes of some fabulous Blue Mountains restaurants and cafes, our quality regional produce, and excellent cool climate wines from the greater region. Family entertainment will be on during the day, and most local restaurants will be offering special menus in the evening.  
 Saturday 8 April, 9am – 4pm, The New Ivanhoe Hotel, Blackheath. Contact: 02 4787 8538  www.bluemts.com.au/foodfestival  
Followed on Sunday April 9, by the Blackheath Growers Market at the Blackheath Community Centre

Congratulations! To the Spirit House (P. 180) which took out a top honour at this year’s Australian Tourism Awards presented at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on February 24th, 2006. The Spirit House Restaurant & Cooking School (www.spirithouse.com.au)was honoured as the Best in Tourism Restaurant and Catering Services in its very first year of entering the State and National Tourism Awards. The Sunshine Coast was the only Queensland destination to take out more than one award at the awards.