Slow Food – an international grass roots group with 60 000 members in 35 countries dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of good food – has formed a chapter in the Riverina region of NSW.

Its first culinary event is a dinner in Wagga Wagga on Friday 15 March, described as a “truly Australian gourmet feast”.

The nine-course menu includes bush peppered scallops on yam crisps and preserved native lime, Milawa corn fed chicken breast rolled with warrigal greens and baked in paperbark with rosella jus, chilli yabby tails with braised witlof and a lemon aspen aioli, lemon myrtle sorbet and Charles Sturt University farmhouse cheese.

Australia’s leading authority on Australian bush foods, Vic Cherikoff, is guest speaker.

Charles Sturt University’s cheesemaker Barry Lillywhite is a founding member of the Riverina group.

Mr Lillywhite said the Riverina is an ideal district to establish a convivium of Slow Foods as it produces an incredible amount and variety of Australia’s wine and food.

“Charles Sturt University supports this by providing the training and research to maintain its growth.”

“CSU also runs wine and cheese tasting courses to educate people in the art of tasting and appreciating, instead of just eating food,” he said.

The cheese CSU produces fits well into the concept of Slow Foods, according to Mr Lillywhite. 

“We are the only cheese factory producing cheese which utilises Australian native flavours. Our cheese is made by hand using traditional methods and using our own milk.”

The Slow Food dinner is at the Three Chefs Restaurant, Romano’s Hotel, at 7pm. Bookings are essential and can be made by contacting Mr Lillywhite on (02) 6933 2434 or the restaurant on (02) 6921 5897.