Locavore Studio Lilydale
Chef Jessie Crossley is a local Melbourne girl who has been off to see the world and then come home to share what she knows at her new cooking school in Lilydale. Jessie has opened Locavore Studio in Lilydale, the Gateway to the stunning Yarra Valley. Locavore is a cooking school set in a beautiful studio. I recently visited as a guest of the Yarra Valley Food Group.
We were there to take a Yarra Valley themed cooking lesson and Jessie charmed us all from the moment we arrived with a tray of sparkling white wine and a tour around her cooking school.
She quickly got down to business and took us through the process of cooking four dishes based around the beautiful Yarra Valley produce that she had available.
Our recipes for the day were;
- Oregano & garlic focaccia. Jessie assures me that the trick to making this crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, is the olive oil she uses in her recipe.
- Yarra Valley Chilli Linguini with ashed goats cheese, Buxton Trout and capers.
- Dry aged steak with Chimichurri salsa and a micro herb salad.
- Strawberry and Stroopwafels trifle with Gateway Estate liqueur.
Produce was provided by local suppliers and members of the Yarra Valley Food Group with a fantastic selection on offer!
Martin Cheney stopped by to tell us a little bit about the one hundred or so members who make up the Yarra Valley Food Group. To find out a little more about their members, their market and to stay up to date with their events, you can check out their website.
http://www.yarravalleyfood.com.au
or on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/yarravalleyregionalfoodgroup
Then we, the people, had to give the cooking a go, with bloggers teaming up and being assigned a work station. I was paired with the gorgeous Miss Sage Sugar, a local Melbourne blogger I have followed for a number of years. We were charged with cooking the pasta dish using the amazing Yarra Valley Chilli Linguini and Buxton Trout. Jess is a great teacher and was on hand to offer us tips and advice.
I think we did a pretty good job.(How proud to we look?)
The Dry Aged Scotch fillet from Gateway Estate was cooked by David from The World Loves Melbourne and Vanya from the Spice Adventuress. The Chimichurri salsa was the perfect accompaniment.
David is a man who takes his steak very seriously.
Dessert was a highlight. Made with local Kookerberry Berries and paired with Stroopwaffels from the Yarra Valley Regional Food Group Farmers Market which we had visited earlier in the day.
Locavore studio is a gorgeous location for a dinner party and so we all gathered together around the stunning handcrafted hardwood table, to enjoy the food we had cooked.
Locavore Studio Lilydale is a multifaceted business; cooking studio, catering venue, cooking school and corporate events venue. Jessie has a constantly changing and exciting list of cooking classes including; Burger Porn, Mexican Street Food and a Sourdough Workshop .
Her skill as a chef is obvious and she also knows how to tell a ripping yarn. You will be sure to be entertained with stories of her adventures across the globe as she cooks you food. If you ask nicely you may even hear about the time she cooked for the Kardashians.
This is one of my favourite foodie experiences so far and I look forward to returning to Locavore Studio to try another class.
Locavore Studio Lilydale
Address: 12 William Street East, Lilydale, VIC
Phone: 0400 284 949
For more information on the beautiful Yarra Valley region you can go to
www.visityarravalley.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/yarravalleyregionalfoodgroup
Twitter: @yarra_valley
Happy Eating.
Dani xx