Grab a plate of ricotta cheese and have fun

That's Amore Cheese employee Greg Marazita. (Damjan Janevski) 389675_01

Anne Parisianne

A Ricotta Festival is scheduled for a mid-March weekend at Thomastown, offering an aromatic blend of Italian cuisine, community engagement and family fun.

The festival held by That’s Amore Cheese will host cooking demos and masterclasses by renowned chefs and personalities for the first time. Each chef will do a 30-minute cooking demonstration of dishes that include Ricotta.

That’s Amore Cheese event coordinator Vanessa Salib said, “[cooking] demonstration has been something we’ve been looking to do. And it was actually requested by people as well.

“People watching will be able to taste what the chefs put up.”

Radio presenter Cameron Smith will curate the demos.

Dancers will grace this fourth edition of the ricotta festival with traditional Sicilian dance performances as DJs keep the beat going.

Festivalgoers can enjoy diverse Italian cuisine, including Sardinian food, Sicilian-style barbecue, pies and gluten-free doughnuts.

Local producers will exhibit across the marketplace, where shoppers can buy anything from Italian chili oil to raw local honey.

Children can enjoy lots of fun activities, including a petting zoo, interactive handball games hosted by the Carlton Football Club and face painting.

The festival will be held on March 17, from 10am- 4pm, at That’s Amore Cheese, 66 Latitude Boulevard, Thomastown.

The entry fee is $10, and kids under 12 years can attend for free.

Details: thatsamorecheese.com.au/pages/ricotta-festival.