Truffle Melbourne 2 Day Festival at Queen Victoria Market in July

Written by David Hagger on 15 June 2021.

Now in its 8th consecutive year, Truffle Melbourne, a seasonal festival that seeks to educate and celebrate all things truffle kicks off the truffle season with a two day free-to-enter festival at Queen Victoria Market on Saturday 10 (9am- 5pm) and Sunday 11 July (9am - 4pm).

Due to popular demand, this year’s festival, the largest truffle celebration outside of Europe, will be held in an expanded space in the J and K sheds of the market at the corner of Queen Street and Peel Street. Plus, the festival is held under cover to mitigate Melbourne’s variable weather and attendees can relax in the knowledge that strict Covid 19 safety measures are in place.

“Australia is now the world’s third largest producer of black truffle in the world, just behind France and Spain,” explains Truffle Melbourne founder and truffle farmer from Truffle Paddock, Nigel Wood. “Many people perceive truffles as being expensive, at Truffle Melbourne guests can try truffle for this first time or get their favourite truffle fix from just $8.00. While it’s true a kilo of fresh truffle may be $2500.00 AUD, a $60.00 - $80.00 truffle is enough for a decadent dinner party for up to 8 guests with enough leftover to shave over scrambled eggs the next day,” adds Wood.

A new addition to this year’s festival are exhibitors showcasing truffle-inoculated trees that can be taken home and planted.

Supported by the City of Melbourne and Queen Victoria Market, truffle novices and experts alike can attend cooking demonstrations by celebrity chef Guy Grossi from Grossi Florentino and Rob Kabboord, executive chef from one of Melbourne’s hottest new restaurants, Chancery Lane. The chef’s lineup up also features Pinchy’s Elbert Cheng, Mister Bianco’s Joey Vargetto and Angus Cadden from Park Street Pasta and Wine among others including Victor Liong from Lee Ho Fook, Bomba’s Jesse Gerner, renowned Greek chef and cookbook author, Kathy Tsaples from The Sweet Greek, culinary legend Philippe Mouchel, Frederic’s Nicholas Deligiannas, New Quarter’s Scott Lord and Napier Quarter’s Eileen Horsenell.

Families, friends and couples will all like watching Australia’s favourite truffle-hunting dogs doing live mock truffle hunts and the Truffle Melbourne bar spear-headed by The Prosecco Van will be serving up truffle espresso martinis, truffle Bloody Marys and truffle-infused gin and tonics alongside truffle beers and ciders. There will also be a DJ spinning the best tracks all weekend and the widest range of truffle products to take home and enjoy.

Truffle fans and those that are simply curious about truffle can enjoy plenty of dishes enhanced with black truffle. Think truffled macaroni and cheese, truffle fries with sriracha aioli ($10.00), venison pies with truffle, truffle paella, truffle burgers, truffle cannoli ($12.00), truffle crepes (from $8.00), pizza finished with shaved truffle on top, Insta-worthy truffle dish served from a Parmesan wheel ($18.00) and a decadent four cheese gnocchi with truffle to just name some of the truffled treats on offer by some of Melbourne’s leading truffle aficionados including That’s Amore, Crepe-oolicious, Left Bank and Primo Pizza.

For those that are wanting to get prepared for the first ever National Truffle Day on Tuesday 22 June, five Australian truffle growers will have plenty of fresh truffle from Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia available to purchase and take home.

Victoria is anticipated to harvest 3.5 tonnes of fresh truffle at a value of $8.75 million AUD. Based on Truffle Melbourne’s previous remarkable attendance records, it is estimated that thousands of people will flock to Queen Victoria Market on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 July.

For more information, please visit trufflemelbourne.com.

Posted in Food