The Great Local Lunch Sustainable Living Festival

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The Great Local Lunch today at the Sustainable Living Festival was fantastic. It was my first time. And I had to enter a ballot to be selected to attend this unique 4-course crowd-farmed free banquet on the banks of the Yarra. Obviously my contribution of lemon verbena, lemon myrtle, rosemary, rose geranium and spearmint had appealed to the selectors. So I joined 249 other lucky gardeners and gleaners to taste the magic the Kinfolk Cafe chefs managed to contrive from the gardens and public byways of Melbourne.

Costa Georgiadis was terrific as MC, although the faltering sound system was frustrating for other speakers at times. Costa's enthusiasm is legendary and we all basked in it.

 The hord'oevres as we entered were gorgeous, all served by members of the team of enthusiastic volunteers who made the event possible.

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Today I have learned to love Kombucha.  I had never heard of it before, but now know it is a drink of delicious ingredients whose fermentation is enabled by pedal power. Grab it when you can.

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The queue of lucky participants waiting to be seated.

Before:

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After:

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Starter: Frittata with parmesan rind and kale stems with gorgeous Zero olive oil:

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 Lentils and a variety of yummy heirloom tomatoes: (All the dressings were unusual and I'm sure I caught a whiff of lemon myrtle or lemon verbena along the way.)

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 Pumpkin with onion and greens garnish: (& I learned today from my fellow diners how to waste not a scrap of pumpkin, to eat the skin and roast the pips!)

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 The finale: cake with wild berries, johnny jump ups (or maybe that should be johnnys jump up?), honey and rosemary (mine I'm sure).

The Great Local Lunch was a winner. Fabulous food and great conversation with like-minded people - what more could you want?  I'm certainly going in the draw next year. Why don't you?

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