Sweets Festival, Preview Night @ Immigration Museum, Melbourne + Giveaway

By On February 26, 2012 · 64 Comments · In Events, Food Events

Being a migrant to Melbourne myself, I know how hard it can be sometimes to feel the displacement and homesickness that hits all newcomers to the country.

The one thing that I do know cures all, is being reminded by the comforts and familiarity of food from my homeland.

When I am incredibly sad, homesick, stressed or just plain ‘ol missing my Madam Mummy and grandparents, I find that replicating the food they cook for me is a good strong cure.

What can I say? Food and I are the best of friends!

So when the Immigration Museum offered us a sneak preview of their Sweets Festival, showcasing the “Tastes and Traditions from Many Cultures”, I couldn’t help but grin, and say “Yes, please!”

Five different communities from Melbourne have been highlighted to showcase special sweet foods.

So this is a great chance for the people of Melbourne to explore the different cultures and sweets from the Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mauritian and Turkish communities.

Discover the way in which they are carefully prepared and the significance behind them.

Japanese Sweets: Nerikiri

Take for example the delicate wagashi (Japanese sweets) and art of making Nerikiri.

Nerikiri is a dessert made to celebrate the changing of seasons. Made from a blend of Gyuhi (a mochi like paste) and Shiroan (Japanese sweet white bean paste), the Nerikiri is not only delicate and beautiful, it is also quite a painstaking art to master.

At the Sweets Festival, you not only get to learn about these little titbits, but you also get to try these delightful creations as well as be entertained by performances and demonstrations!

Scroll down to see how you could win an exciting double pass to this event!

Meanwhile, I’ll let the sweets speak for themselves :)

More Japanese Sweets: Daifuku (with Red Bean Paste) and Matcha (Green Tea) Mochi

Turkish Sweets: Baklava, Lokumlu Kurabiye & Hanim Gobegi

More Turkish Sweets: Tel Kadayifi

Mauritian Sweets: Gateau Coco, Tarte Banane, Coconut Macarons and Gateau Gingeli.

More Mauritian Sweets: Napolitain & Puit d’amour

Italian Sweets: Pistachio Biscotti & Cannoli.

More Italian Sweets: Tiramisu a Limone

Indian Sweet: Gulab Jamun

A table of selected “artifacts” donated by the communities partaking in this festival, showcasing the different items connected to sweets, celebrations, and life events.

We also had a chance to try a couple of dessert beverages (which may or may not have included alcohol! *Wink* )

We had Pina Colada, Turkish Coffee, Shoju, Moscato as well as Tea and Coffee.

[Ms I-Hua attended the Sweets Festival Preview Night as a guest of the Immigration Museum Melbourne]

Important Dates:

Sweets Temporary Exhibition:
“Tastes and Traditions from Many Cultures”
Opens Thursday 15th March 2012
10.00am – 5.00pm (included with Museum entry)

Sweet Dinner with Guy Grossi:
Thursday 15th March 2012
6.30pm – 10.30pm
Cost: $180 per person (Bookings are essential on 13 11 02)

Sweets Festival:
Sunday 18th March 2012
11.00am – 4.00pm (included with Museum entry)

Competition:

The lovely folks at the Immigration Museum have decided to let me give back to my readers!!!

Win a double pass to the Immigration Museum (which you can use to attend the Sweets Festival on Sunday the 18th of March!) and a Sweets Recipe Book.

All you have to do is:

  1. ‘Like’ my Facebook page (if you haven’t done so already), if you have (you are Wonderful!) skip this step :)
  2. Leave a comment here telling me what your one favourite dessert is and why

*Please leave a valid email address (emails won’t be published). Competition is open to Australian Residents only.

The competition closes Thursday, 8th March 2012 at 6:00pm. The winner will be drawn randomly on Thursday Night, the 8th of March 2012!!!

So what are you waiting for??

Get cracking!!

For more drool-worthy sneak previews:
Off The Spork
I am so hungree
Mel: Hot or Not 

Immigration Museum Address:
400 Flinders Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Website: http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/

How to get there:

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64 Responses to Sweets Festival, Preview Night @ Immigration Museum, Melbourne + Giveaway

  1. Kelly says:
    February 26, 2012 at 2:45 PM

    Tiramusu is my favorate now, I like the smoothness taste and the smell of coffee and cheese. Nice for summer time

    Reply
  2. Peach Water says:
    February 26, 2012 at 3:28 PM

    My new favourite is from Golden Fields – Miso Icecream with Compact Apple. Yum~

    Reply
  3. Catrin says:
    February 26, 2012 at 3:32 PM

    Definitely pavlova for me, I always request it for my birthday even though my birthday’s in the depths of winter! Nigella’s chocolate pav with raspberries is the best version ever of it, too…
    Catrin recently posted..Travels in Indochina: memory card full, or the tale of too many food photos

    Reply
  4. Miriam says:
    February 26, 2012 at 3:51 PM

    Choosing one dessert is near impossible. But, I’m going to have to say pancakes because you can have them for breakfast or dessert and they also come with ice-cream, so it’s like two desserts in one.

    Reply
  5. carol says:
    February 26, 2012 at 4:42 PM

    Tiramisu will be one of my fav dessert, coz i love coffee dessert, even i dont really like to drink coffee :-)

    Reply
  6. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says:
    February 26, 2012 at 5:32 PM

    What an amazing event! :o And I used to stare at the displays of wagashi when I first arrived in Tokyo. They were so beautiful! :)
    Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..Beba Y Cene, The Carrington, Surry Hills

    Reply
  7. penny aka jeroxie says:
    February 26, 2012 at 8:14 PM

    FLy me back to Melbourne?
    penny aka jeroxie recently posted..Chocolate Sorbet

    Reply
  8. Vien @ We Dare Food says:
    February 26, 2012 at 8:22 PM

    Gosh! Your pictures look like a dream buffet! Heheheheh imagine the sugar rush after that! :D
    hmmm… my favourite dessert would be tong suis! It would be hard to choose one but one of my favourite would be sweet potato ginger tong sui! Cause my mum used to boil them every weekend and it would be the week’s highlight!
    Vien @ We Dare Food recently posted..Flashback Friday: Egypt

    Reply
  9. Michelle chin says:
    February 26, 2012 at 8:43 PM

    Lovely pictures!
    Michelle chin recently posted..Simply Cooking: Poached Ocean Trout with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

    Reply
  10. Daisy@Nevertoosweet says:
    February 26, 2012 at 9:02 PM

    Oh oh oh! I’m so so so JEALOUS!!! I really wanted to go but I’ve just missed it :( Look at all the desserts and goodies sighhh my mouth is watering SO SO SO badly!

    That’s such a hard question…favourite dessert :P I said Lemon tart on Ashley’s blog but it’s not fair I have more than one favourite dessert hehe My other favourite dessert would have to be salted caramel over vanilla bean ice-cream! :D

    Thanks for the opportunity I-hua!
    Daisy@Nevertoosweet recently posted..First Blog Challenge – Lemon Scones

    Reply
  11. Allan says:
    February 26, 2012 at 9:05 PM

    oo o o o o o MEMEMEMEMEMEM EMEMEM! pick me!
    =).
    so sad, i couldnt attend that night – stupid work.
    Allan recently posted..Breakfast roundup #1 – De Clieu

    Reply
  12. Michelle says:
    February 26, 2012 at 9:53 PM

    Lucky lucky you! Look at all those sweets. Yums yums yums!

    My favourite dessert is green tea daifuku because it is ‘soft soft one’. Haha, not because of that only, but also because I really love matcha! ;)

    PICK ME! :P

    Reply
  13. Effie Bakkalis says:
    February 26, 2012 at 10:58 PM

    It’s so hard to choose one dessert! I love all sweets, but especially Greek desserts… I can’t go past galatoboureko (custard and filo pastry) or baklava (nutty filo pastry) or kourabiethes (crescent-shaped shortbread biscuits). They’re all delish!
    Thanks for the great giveaway :)

    Reply
  14. Sushi Vegas says:
    February 26, 2012 at 11:27 PM

    All I can say is OH MY GOD !! Is this actually possible :P THanks for sharing !!

    Reply
  15. Julie says:
    February 26, 2012 at 11:34 PM

    thanks for a lovely giveaway! Mine will be a mango sago because it’s fruit and not too sweet!
    Julie recently posted..Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry mousse

    Reply
  16. Winston says:
    February 27, 2012 at 2:22 AM

    Omg I want it all… NOW!!!! You’re so, SO lucky to get to go for that tasting! Hopefully I get to win this giveaway so I can go nuts when I’m there too, hehe…

    ANYHOO,my favourite dessert is still the classic apple crumble. I just love warm desserts and anything crunchy, and this certainly ticks the boxes and tickles my fancy!

    Also, it’s something quite dear to my heart too because it’s the first dessert I learned to make from Mum and so I’ve had many, many fond memories of eating this with her and the family over the years =]
    Winston recently posted..PENANG… SINGAPORE… KUCHING!

    Reply
  17. Jen says:
    February 27, 2012 at 1:21 PM

    Chocolate mousse. Because it reminds me of my host sister who taught me to make it when I was in Belgium 20 years ago and of eating at French expat restaurants while living in Cambodia more recently, and is the favourite dessert offering of a friend who lives conveniently just around the corner.

    Reply
    • Ms I-Hua says:
      February 27, 2012 at 7:31 PM

      That’s interesting that you learnt it in Belgium and rediscovered it at a French restaurant in Cambodia :) Hahaha… wonderful story!

      Reply
  18. kellypete says:
    February 28, 2012 at 12:18 AM

    What a good review and sneak peek. I wouldn’t miss this event for a chance to taste these lovely sweets from the world.
    I personally like the tiramisu, the coffee and cheese totally make me feel I’m in heaven.

    Reply
  19. Lyka Ricks says:
    February 28, 2012 at 4:23 AM

    This is Sweet Amazing! A multi-cultural sweet feast. I love the Japanese sweets, even in food preparation they are naturally artistic. I want to taste the Turkish and Mauritian sweets and most of all I want to win the free passes.
    Lyka Ricks recently posted..Benefits of iTunes

    Reply
  20. InTolerantChef says:
    February 28, 2012 at 10:55 AM

    What a very lovely festival indeed! A great idea to bring cultures and communities together.
    I just love ice cream. Something about the smooth cold creaminess I guess. I also love tapioca, again I guess it’s a textural thing :)
    InTolerantChef recently posted..Just Dinner

    Reply
  21. Rose says:
    February 28, 2012 at 10:53 PM

    Your post makes me feel hungry. I am sure those foods will not disappoint me. They sure are of great taste. It can make you forget the homesickness you feel.

    Branson show tickets

    Reply
  22. Libby says:
    February 28, 2012 at 11:35 PM

    Ugh, you’ve all beaten me to it! Gotta get my summary up this week – though I’ve got my work cut out for me cos everyone’s posts are amazing! :)

    I feel like baklava now… mmmm.
    Libby recently posted..Almost, Sweet Talk, Caffiend

    Reply
  23. Carly Rein says:
    February 29, 2012 at 2:21 AM

    I wish you would have provided some napkins with this blog post – I find my mouth watering a little more than I would like. I’ll definitely have to check out the festival out – it sounds yummy.
    Carly Rein recently posted..Deuda no garantizada préstamo de consolidación: la solución adecuada?

    Reply
  24. Muhammad Juhari says:
    February 29, 2012 at 9:48 AM

    I’m here to win the tickets to the Sweet Festival so my answer is Bubur Durian since you decline my Epok-epok! :) Why? because i’m here to represent Malay dessert and you aint a foodist if you cant even handle a Durian :)

    Reply
  25. Ai-Lin says:
    February 29, 2012 at 2:22 PM

    my favourite dessert is custard bun! available at all good dim sum joints, i love the sweet custard paired with the good old bun. yums!

    Reply
  26. spacebeagle says:
    February 29, 2012 at 6:20 PM

    My favourite dessert was served at the Yellow Heaven Soup Kitchen in London years ago (it closed down in the 90s).

    It was a serving of home-made coconut ice-cream mixed with coconut biscuit bits and two dark chocolate Bounty bars stuck in the top. Genius.

    Reply
  27. Tracy says:
    February 29, 2012 at 9:59 PM

    Definitely ginger souffle, the one I had in Hong Kong to be precise! I like the mild gingery flavour and it’s also very light and not too sweet.

    Reply
  28. angela says:
    March 1, 2012 at 11:18 PM

    Favourite puds..hmmm..I had black sesame seed ice cream at Sushi Zanmai (great place to eat) at Plaza Low Yat in KL which was heavenly and a mango souffle I had once at The Priory in Bath, England which was like an explosion of sunshine! :-)

    Reply
  29. Ames says:
    March 2, 2012 at 11:50 PM

    Aww, would have totally entered but I’m not here in Melb *cries* But I will like your Facebook page lol. The Japanese sweets look so delightful!
    Ames recently posted..Back but not…

    Reply
  30. Ferzeen says:
    March 5, 2012 at 12:03 AM

    I cannot go past hot fudge brownies with vanilla bean ice cream and mixed berries…it’s ridiculously simple to put together if you have a bit of time…and it’s my go-to dessert whether I’m impressing the friends or feeling down in the dumps :)

    Reply
  31. Thanh says:
    March 6, 2012 at 4:23 PM

    I want Sweets. Nice photos, did A take those ;-)
    Thanh recently posted..Mornington Peninsula Food Tour – So Many Great Places

    Reply
  32. Anna Lee says:
    March 6, 2012 at 5:05 PM

    Chocolate fondant – warm, comforting and a crowd pleaser.

    Reply

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