Six reasons to visit Sample Food Festival in Bangalow

Hello pumpkin: Paul West, of River Cottage Australia, is one of the stars of the NSW festival.

More than 17,000 food lovers are expected to descend on the 7th annual Sample Food Festival to be held in the northern NSW town of Bangalow this Saturday, September 2. Here are six reasons you should join the hungry hordes.

More than 17,000 gourmands are expected to attend this weekend's Sample Food Festival in Bangalow.

It's a feast of epic proportions
It's the largest gastronomic celebration on the northern NSW event calendar and it falls on the first weekend in Spring, which is the perfect time to show off local food or drink at the festival where you are guaranteed to eat well and learn as you go.

To play Spot the Celebrity Chef
You will dine and drink elbow to elbow alongside award-winning chefs Sean Connolly (The Balcony Bar, Byron Bay), who will have a signature plate on offer, TV's Paul West (of River Cottage Australia on the Food Network) and Ready Steady Cook chef Matt Golinski, who will battle it out in the Olsson Salt Celebrity cook-off.

Cape Byron Distillery will show off its Brookie's Gin

For drinks and high jinks
Renowned brewery Stone & Wood will offer a range of beers with Cape Byron’s Brookies Gin and the Tweed Valley’s Ink Gin joining the line-up.

Smokehouse will be serving its signature pulled pork burgers with slaw.

It's easy on the wallet
Twenty-six of the region's best restaurants and caterers will produce $5 and $10 tasting plates inspired by their signature dishes, which is a fraction of the cost of dining in their establishments.

Guests at Sample can enjoy signature desserts from local chefs such as Katrina Kanetani. 

Local chefs complete the lineup
Chefs Katrina Kanetani (Town), Bret Cameron (Harvest), Monique Guterres (Hungry Like The Wolf) will join visiting chefs Matt Golinski, Luca Ciano, Ben Williamson and Clayton Donovan to complete the 2017 line up.

It's a celebration of the region's bounty
There will be cheesemakers, macadamia farmers, spice artisans, Asian street food specialists, fruit growers and dozens more delicious opportunities to try the region's amazing fresh produce.

Visitors to sample will meet local artisans and growers who have stayed true to their roots.

WHEN : Saturday September 2, 8am – 4pm
WHERE: Bangalow Showground
TICKETS AT THE GATE: $5 per adult, children free

Five minutes with Zachary Tan

Zachary Tan is executive chef of Lucky Suzie, Devon on Danks and Devon Cafe.

Zachary Tan is executive chef at Lucky Suzie, Devon on Danks and Devon Cafe in Sydney. Here are the pantry staples he has on hand at home in order to whip up Asian-inspired dishes at a moment's notice: sambal, shrimp paste, fish sauce, miso, rice, Sriracha, black vinegar, dark soy, light soy, rice vinegar, white palm sugar, fried eschallots, coconut cream, ginger, limes, chillis, coriander, pandan, garlic and eschallots.

Tan is the master of making Malay food accessible: have your chopsticks at the ready for the nasi lemak with chicken curry, pork belly satay skewers and coconut-spiced chicken. Tan says the fundamentals of Asian cuisine start with having the right pantry staples.   

But he says the most challenging thing for cooks that come from a non-Asian background is to to understand the fundamentals of Asian cuisine. 

"The most challenging thing is knowing how or what those Asian pantry ingredients actually bring to a dish and learning how to control those volumes and quantities. For example if you are going to add fish sauce, you need to ask yourself, 'What does it bring to a dish?' I can tell you, it brings a lot of saltiness and umami. And so when you are doing Asian recipe and you understand what it actually brings, then you can move forward," says Tan. 

"I would urge people experimenting with Asian flavours to experiment with the acidity or saltiness or umami of a dish. It's only then you can understand the recipe a bit better and it becomes easier to balance the dishes."

Lucky Suzie is located at 78 Stanley St, Darlinghurst, luckysuzie.com.au

To understand the fundamentals of cooking Asian cuisine, it's a good idea to experiment.

Five fab ideas to celebrate Easter long weekend

Regardless of your faith, the Easter long weekend is a time to spend with friends and family. Here are a few Easter experiences worth shelling out for, writes Carla Grossetti.

Enjoy Easter at Cho Cho San without the sugar-crazed highs. Photographer: Nikki To. 

Enjoy Easter Izakaya-style
This year, instead of smashing seven chocolate bunnies think outside the chocolate box and head to Cho Cho San where the izakaya-style dining room will set the scene for a very elegant Easter celebration. The popular Potts Point eatery is open on Good Friday from 5.30pm and for all-day dining on Saturday and Sunday from noon. Order edamame dip for starters and Petuna ocean trout with black pepper and wasabi and teriyaki fish collars to follow. For bookings, phone 9331 6601 or email enquires@chochosand.com.au. 73 Macleay St, Potts Point, chochosan.com.au

Garden geurillas unite as Camperdown Commons makes inroads into inner-urban Sydney. Image: Supplied

Enjoy an urban Harvest
Camperdown Commons has launched a brand new series of events as acre, Pocket City Farms and Common Spaces now gather under the umbrella of Harvest at Camperdown. This newly revitalised community hub will see acre present some of the best fresh produce from its premium suppliers with a new seasonal menu at Good Friday Food and Wine, while Camperdown Commons transforms into an Easter wonderland for the kidlets on Easter Sunday with a free Easter Craft Workshop, a Gingerbread Easter hunt and a visit by the Easter bunny. From April until June, visitors can get a taste of the farm lifestyle right in the heart of Sydney.  31A Mallet St, Camperdown, www.harvesthub.com.au

The chocolate-infused cocktails at Grain Bar are red hot. Image: Supplied

Indulge in an Easter cocktail
Eggs-traordinary that Grain Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel is satisfying sweet tooths all over Sydney with a collection of cocktails that are positively pun-free. Curated by Grain Bar's talented team of barkeeps, the chocolate-infused cocktails made with craft liqueurs and premium spirits are the perfect Easter treat. Ask the bartenders to muddle you up a Murphy's Law (Bulleit Rye Whiskey, Rocky Road liqueur, dark agave, frozen berries and rocky road: $20) followed by a devilishly good Retox (Johnny Walker Black and house-made chocolate chilli-infused beetroot juice, garnished with edible flowers: $18). Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, 199 George St, Sydney. www.grainbar.com.au.

Seafood and eat it on Good Friday at this bountiful buffet at Harvest Buffet. Image: supplied

Smash the Harvest Buffet at The Star
Vary the traditional Easter lunch with your family by celebrating the long weekend at Harvest Buffet with a sumptuous seafood feast and Easter specials over the Easter long weekend. The traditional bountiful buffet will be available for lunch on Good Friday ($45.90) and Easter Saturday ($55.90). There will also be a special visit from the Easter Bunny along with face painting for kids on Easter Sunday. For more information, visit The Star Sydney or email harvestreservations@star.com.au

You say it's the long weekend, it's my long weekend too. The view from above: Sydney's Sky Terrace at The Star. 

Enjoy an Easter Sunday party in silence
Sydney’s Sky Terrace @ The Star is set to close over autumn and will go out with a very quiet bang by hosting a silent disco on Easter Sunday. Enjoy a sunset cocktail while tapping your feet very softly to Joseph Calerazzo Duo from 3-6pm, before busting a few bold but meditative moves from 6pm-11pm when the silent disco is in full swing. Headphones are available if you want to crank up the goodness as DJs Beth Yen, K-Note and Social Hooliganz do their thing. For more information about what’s on at The Star this Easter long weekend, please visit The Star or join the conversation at @thestarsydney

Order a hamper of Pana Chocolate perfection as a treat for the family. Image: Supplied

Go to the dark side
Pana Chocolate loves the idea of a holiday centred around the giving of chocolate. Oh and cue the smiley emoji because a holiday built around the giving and receiving of chocolate is a bit more guilt-free with the Victorian operation that is available online. Apart from its commitment to using raw, organic ingredients, the chocolates will make you feel virtuous when you read the contents and discover chocolates such as coconut and goji and mint, fig and wild orange contain no dairy, no soy, no refined sugar and are gluten-free and handmade. panachocolate.com