Brisbane Masterclass Weekend

I know it sounds a bit tragic, but for a while now I've been looking forward to seeing the program for this year's Brisbane Masterclass Weekend. Luckily my wait is over, and the program is now up on the Masterclass website.

If you haven't heard about the Masterclass Weekend, it's a huge food and wine event that happens at the Brisbane Hilton. Presenters are brought from all over the world, and usually the program spans a fantastic range of the food & wine spectrum.

Here are a few of the sessions that I'd be signing up to:

Asian Affairs - take three core ingredients – duck, crab and citrus – and hand them over to two of our finest exponents of Asian cuisine to work their magic. The nuances of Thai and Vietnamese will soon become apparent as Martin Boetz applies his modern Thai sensibilities to the ingredients while Luke Nguyen takes an authentic Vietnamese approach. Enjoy the dishes they devise with some of the aromatic Granite Belt Wine Country wines that so suit this style of food, presented by leading consultant and Master of Wine Peter Scudamore-Smith.

The Passionate Patissier - are you a “Zumba loompa”, a follower of the pâtissier extraordinaire who created the croquembouche which brought many of TV’s Masterchef contestants undone? Sign up for this Saturday only session and you won’t have to queue as Sydneysiders do outside Adriano Zumbo’s Balmain pâtisserie to indulge in his famous French macaroons or his luscious cakes and pastries lauded as “unique in concept and execution”. You’ll leave with a special treat.

Flavours without Borders - throughout his journey from his birthplace Hong Kong through Toronto, Singapore and the USA, Susur Lee has never wavered from his consuming passion: to create unique combinations of textures and flavours and juxtapose the complex food traditions of China with the classical techniques of French cuisine. The results are “endlessly inventive” and “daring”. Exquisite artistry on the plate is a hallmark of this chef, named as one of the Ten Chefs of the Millennium in company with Ferran Adria and Pierre Gagnaire. Stepping up to the challenge of perfect wine pairings for Susur Lee’s stunning dishes is experienced Brisbane sommelier Peter Marchant.

Sensational Sherry - Emilio Lustau is one of Spain’s largest Houses of fine sherry, established in 1896 and still garnering swags of international awards year in year out. In November it took home the trophy as Spanish Wine Producer of the Year at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Join fine wine specialist Christopher Cannan to explore a range of glorious styles from the Lustau bodegas, from the dry and fine Manzanilla and Fino, through the richer Amontillado and Oloroso, to the luscious Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez.

Going the Whole Hog - when it comes to pork, the Italian approach is very much “waste not, want not”. Nino Zoccali will show why the whole pig is prized, demonstrate how to cook the different cuts and take you through salumi – lardo, pancetta, culatello, coppa and the other delicious charcuterie that is a cornerstone of Italian cooking – all using Australian pork. The perfect wine for an array of fresh and cured delights, including classic pork and fennel sausages, will be selected by Italian fine wine importer Dan Clark

Sounds great doesn't it? The only catch is, it's not cheap. Tickets are $350 for one day, or $595 if your stomach will allow you to go both days. Start saving now!

Brisbane Masterclass Weekend
24-25 July 2010
P - (07) 3231 3239
E - alison.alexander@hilton.com
W - http://www.qldmasterclass.com
T - http://twitter.com/MasterclassBne