Flavours of Plenty Festival ready to cook-off

Western Bay Museum offers up a Food Bowl of Plenty exhibition coinciding with Flavours of Plenty Festival.

Katikati-grown food and distilled liquor will feature at this year’s Flavours of Plenty Festival.

The 11-day food extravaganza set for April pulls together almost 50 events from across the coastal Bay of Plenty.

The annual festival has inspired an exhibition by Western Bay Museum, which uncovers the gourmet goodies tucked up rural roads and behind shelter belts around the region.

“We have plenty of delicious events this year, including some stellar new offerings from the wider Katikati area,” festival director Rae Baker said.

“Who wouldn’t want to distil their own gin, such as Matahui Rd Distillery? We love the fact the owners are developing their own botanical orchard, with about 200 different plants that can be used to flavour their tipple.’'

Baker said this year’s programme would include a new concept, with the Western Bay Museum’s Food Bowl of Plenty exhibition.

“The local museum curator has spent five months finding and researching some of our region’s most fascinating culinary innovations. She’s tracked down everything from vanilla to vodka and bee venom, along with edible plants I’ve never heard of.’'

The overall festival programme, backed by Tourism Bay of Plenty, is designed to showcase and connect the region’s best food, beverages, chefs, growers and creators.

It includes long lunches, food tours, cooking contests and “culinary collisions” like a beer and dessert event at The Rising Tide Ōmokoroa.

Ōmokoroa will also host a pasta-making masterclass at Alma Eatery (which won the judge’s choice award at last year’s festival).

Wilderkin Spirits from Waihī Beach has teamed up with Flatwhite Waihī Beach restaurant to present a cocktail workshop called ‘’highballing on the Shore’'.

Other options include a canape cook-off in Mount Maunganui, a degustation dinner in Pāpāmoa and an oyster farm tour in Ōhiwa Harbour near Whakatāne.

INFO Tickets via flavoursofplentyfestival.com