Time out to indulge ... the festival crowd at Elder Park in 2007.
Tasting Australia, one of the biggest festivals of fine wine and food in the Asia-Pacific region, returns to Adelaide from April 29 to May 6.
The festival is billed as a showcase of the best Australia has in food, wine, beer, the culinary arts, hospitality, travel and lifestyle – but anyone visiting needs to be ready to go on a diet afterwards.
The week always attracts a wide range of patrons: food professionals; brewers and winemakers; chefs, restaurateurs and sommeliers; the world's food, drink and travel media; educators and academics; and members of the general public who are ready to sip, sup and party.
After taking a break in 2008 and 2009 as the event moves from spring to autumn, organisers are determined the 2010 edition will be the best yet.
Tastings and dinners will be held over eight days and nights in Adelaide and South Australia's regional centres, with the 2010 Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards and the LifeStyle FOOD Channel Australian Regional Culinary Competition among the highlights.
The program features 40 major public events, including Miele cooking classes and master classes, the Word of Mouth festival, BankSA Feast for the Senses and a series of celebrity lunches and dinners, many at iconic wineries, featuring food and wine matching.
At the last Tasting Australia in 2007, the banks of the River Torrens were packed with food and wine lovers enjoying the Feast for the Senses days – a chance to enjoy the best of South Australia's food and wine in one relaxed open-air venue.
And this is just one of a number of functions that offer the chance to chat one-on-one with leading chefs and top winemakers.
Tasting Australia regularly attracts celebrity chefs such as Ferran Adria, Rick Stein, Antonio Carluccio, Madhur Jaffrey, Claudia Roden, Stephanie Alexander, Serge Dansereau, Neil Perry, Shannon Bennett, Cheong Liew and many more – with next year's guest presenters due to be announced soon.
While Tasting Australia began as a largely media-based event – aimed at drawing the attention of newspaper, magazine, radio and television audiences around the world – it has now grown to such an extent that Tasting Australia 2007 comprised no fewer than 70 events, 65 of which were open to the public.
More than 50,000 people attended the various attractions over eight days in 2007, getting the chance to quiz chefs and writers at the James Squire Food, Beer and Wine Writers' Festival.
This time between 50 to 60 overseas media are invited to learn more about South Australia and its produce and to get to know the best the state grows and produces.
With Tasting Australia having developed an international reputation, it pays to book well in advance to be certain of accommodation and tickets, particularly to the various winery lunches that are held in iconic South Australian wine regions including the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Coonawarra and Adelaide Hills.
Visitors can also enjoy exciting taste experiences at the Adelaide Central Market, established in 1869 and now the largest undercover market in the southern hemisphere. Try a chocolate tasting at Haigh's, the home of Australia's oldest surviving family-owned chocolate-making company and one of only a handful worldwide still making chocolate directly from cocoa beans.
On Saturdays, the Willunga Farmers Market in McLaren Vale offers the chance to sample gourmet goodies from artisan producers.
For more information about Tasting Australia, see tasting-australia.com.au. For travel and accommodation bookings, phone 1300 655 276 or see southaustralia.com.
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