A year of virtual wine tastings and relentless Zoom meetings has built up quite the appetite for digital-only events. This is especially the case with festivals trying to adapt to current health protocols in the face of an ongoing global pandemic, the latest making the – yep, here it comes – pivot, is the always hotly anticipated Bon Fromage Festival of European Cheeses. And it promises to be as tasty as it sounds.
That is, if you’ve got the good sense to order up a cheese box ahead of the series of online masterclasses, which run for a week between Saturday 21st and Sunday 29th November. The classes will all be dedicated to exploring the wonderful world of French cheese, offering up various fun and interactive demonstrations.
Bon Fromage Ambassador and French cheesemonger François Robin will be heading the digital stage for this year’s festival, working with some of Australia’s best cheese and drink purveyors – including Maker and Monger’s Anthony Femia – to showcase the best of the best when it comes to cheese.
But what good is a cheese masterclass if you can’t be there to taste the glorious produce yourself? That’s where the various tasting boxes come in, curated into four Gourmet Tasting Packs containing half a kilo of high-quality French cheese with free access to all the masterclasses. Each box comes with five hand-picked cheeses made in France as well as a recipe booklet and cheese tasting notes. Even better, each will come with their own masterclass and only cost $20 (including shipping).
They include the below:
● The Classics – a selection of classic French cheese favourites. Perfect for those who want to learn more about the Cheese of Europe. Masterclass on Saturday 21st November at 5pm.
● Blue Lovers – a blue cheese lovers’ dream. A range of delicious cow’s milk blue cheeses from different regions across France. Masterclass on Saturday 21st November at 7pm.
● Soft and Creamy – a mix of soft, creamy cheeses from France with flavour intensity ranging from subtle to strong. Masterclass on Sunday 22nd November at 5pm.
● Strong and Stinky – full of flavour and perfect for those who are fans of French cheese with pungent aromas. Masterclass on Sunday 22nd November at 7pm.
In addition to the above, there are a range of more expensive “VIP Packs”, which step things up considerably both in terms of quality cheese and included drinks, and the associated masterclasses. All boxes have been curated by Bon Fromage as well as some of Sydney’s finest, including Simon Johnson and The Studd Siblings.
These include:
● The Drink Hive – a collection of perfectly paired French cheese and wine. Masterclass on Friday 27th November at 7pm.
● Simon Johnson – a collection of very different French cheeses and paired condiments. Masterclass on Saturday 28th November at 5pm.
● The Maker and Monger – a collection of French cheeses paired with Australian wines. Masterclass on Saturday 28th November at 7pm.
● The Smelly Cheese Shop –delicious and diverse French Cheeses paired with locally made ciders from Adelaide. Masterclass on Sunday 29th November at 2pm.
• The Studd Siblings – selection of cheeses from their range of premium French cheeses. Masterclass on Sunday 29th November at 5pm.
Do note that the cheese packs are only available to purchase online until the end of Monday 15th November, to allow for on-time arrival with the masterclasses. All information and orders can be found here.
