Add to your Skill Set

Getting hands-on is a chance to learn new skills while creating lasting memories. Dianne Bortoletto has a go at some of the Swan Valley’s masterclasses.

SANDALFORD – MAKE YOUR OWN WINE

Would there be a bigger brag at a dinner party than “I made this wine myself”? Or a more personal gift of a bottle of wine to mark a birth, anniversary or just for someone special? Budding vintners will be guided through the process at Sandalford Wines to blend their very own vino. For three hours, Sandalford’s expert winemakers will fast-track the wine making journey to the crucial step, the blending. Then a team of wine experts will swill, sip and judge their way through the offerings, before participants take a seat at the table to enjoy a meal with an original newly blended wine. The experience includes a behind the scenes tour. inspired products including jams, savoury and sweet sauces, pickles, relishes and chutneys, infused olive and macadamia oils, caramelised balsamic, raspberry and fig vinegars infused with Australian flavours such as Lemon Myrtle and Bush Tomato as well as dried fruits, herbs, spices, seeds and peppers. It’s not just healthy but delicious too and after sampling a variety of bush foods, you’ll finish with a delectable Quondong jam tart and a bush flavoured cake.

ASPARAGUS MASTERCLASS – EDGECOMBE BROTHERS

A whole masterclass on asparagus – that’s not something you’ll read every day. From approximately September to November, Edgecombe Brothers winery shares their knowledge on how to grow, harvest, prepare and cook asparagus. You’ll spend some time in the asparagus patch picking fresh green spears, which, by the way, taste incredible raw. Originally planted by the late Walter Edgecombe in the late 1990s, the winery grows about four tonnes of asparagus every year. Your fresh asparagus will be prepared for lunch and under the

THE CHEESE MAKER

Most people would probably have all the ingredients to make ricotta cheese at home. Making cheese sounds complicated, but in fact, some cheeses are surprisingly easy to make once you’ve mastered the art. The experts at The Cheese Maker run handson classes for making different cheeses including ricotta, haloumi, camembert, Persian fetta, wash rind and farmhouse favourites. After you’ve made cheese, all from scratch, there’s a chance to sit down and sample it. More than a course, The Cheese Maker’s comprehensive take home guide is designed to start you on your own cheese making odyssey at home.

BUSH TUCKER - DALE TILBROOK EXPERIENCES

It makes sense for us to eat more of the high-nutrient bush tucker that grows natively in Australia. At Dale Tilbrook Experiences, an Indigenous-based interactive experience, you’ll learn about a variety of herbs, spices, peppers and dried fruits including where they grow and how to incorporate them into your cooking. There’s a large range of bush tucker and bush-

flowering wisteria, you’ll enjoy a grazing plate of freshly baked bread, cheese and tapenade and other morsels, the hero of the day, asparagus topped with parmesan and for dessert, chocolate coated figs. A tutored wine tasting session is included.

MONDO NOUGAT

Nougat is an ancient sweet that is surprisingly tricky to make, but under the tutelage of Mondo Nougat, you’ll skip the tricky bit and go straight to the fun of choosing your flavours. About 20 flavour options are provided including the classic nuts pistachio, almond, macadamia and hazelnut, dried fruits such as cranberry, cherries, apricots and apple, along with

Under the tutelage of Mondo Nougat, you’ll skip the tricky bit and go straight to the fun of choosing your flavours.”

TRICKS OF THE TRADE Upskill on your next Swan Valley visit by booking a make your own nougat, cheese or gin class.

some spices such as cinnamon, cardamon and chilli and of course chocolate. You can also bring your own dried flavours to include, and if it’s a good combination, it might even end up a limited flavour release at Mondo Nougat, such as an old Egyptian nougat of turmeric and ginger that was created by a customer who wanted to relive his favourite childhood sweet. It was so good, he ordered 20 kilograms to take back to Egypt with him! If you want to create a truly unique nougat, the trick is to think about your favourite dessert or favourite cocktail and try to replicate that. After the hour-long class, you’ll have your own 200 grams pack of the soft variety to take home. Customers often return again and again wanting to create new nougat flavours.

MAKE YOUR OWN SWAN VALLEY GIN

Gin lovers and those who like to create their own unique products will love the hands-on Gin Masterclass at the Swan Valley Gin Co. Firstly, pick your citrus, spicy or floral botanicals, many derived from Swan Valley fruits. After preparing those, using artisan, copper custom-made stills imported from Portugal, you’ll be shown how to choose the best part of the spirit - the very essence of distillation. The last step is to add Darling Range spring water to finish your masterpiece before creating a custom-made label and bottling your own 500ml gin. Using Australian made tonic, you’ll enjoy a G&T on arrival, and another with your gin-infused lunch, all included in the masterclass. To learn more, go to swanvalley.com.au/ See-and-Do/Masterclasses SV