Melbourne’s highly anticipated three-day french festival Paris to Provence
Melbourne is forever having a festival and let’s be honest we love it! One of my local and favourite festivals is coming up and I’m pretty excited.
Melbourne’s highly anticipated three-day french festival Paris to Provence, presented by Mercedes Benz Toorak, will transform the grounds of Como House and Garden in South Yarra for the 10th year running.
Celebrating traditions from all regions of France, this year’s theme dubbed ‘Les Plus Beaux villages de France’ translating to ‘The Prettiest Villages of France’, promises to encapsulate just that.
Guests will be transported to the charm of bustling Paris and provincial Provence with an array of authentic French food and wine on offer, alongside a variety of activities and workshops – escargot eating races included!
Other highlights will be the pop-up French cinema running continuously over the weekend, a curated marketplace featuring more than 70 exhibitors, live entertainment, croissant tossing, the famous Course de Garcons de Café waiters race and for Megan Hess fashionista’s, fans of Megan can experience the pop-up experience of her First Children’s Book – the world of Claris the chicest mouse in Paris will be brought to life in the pavillion. Step through the mouse hole into Claris’s chic Parisian apartment furnished by Monsieur Montage (le chat), with help from the expert team at Co.Co Port Melbourne.
For out pooch loving friends…Doggy Playdate & France-y Dress, bring your furry four-legged friends to enjoy the ‘Doggy Francs-y Dress Costume Party’ or to snap a picture in the Doggy Photo Booth. The top three best-dressed pooches, as voted by the crowd at Paris To Provence will win a prize pack each day. Timings: Friday 6pm, Saturday 10:45am, Sunday 10:45am
Or if your a christmas lover and want some Styling tips for your Christmas the Co.Co Way, make sure your festive season decorations are in vogue with a Christmas styling workshop from the talented team at Co.Co boutique. Timings: Friday 6:30pm and Saturday 4pm
Plus so much more.
Paris to Provence founder, Laura Rancie, promises the 2018 festival will be the best one yet:
“This year marks a particularly special milestone for Paris to Provence: being Australia’s first French festival, I’m really proud that we are reaching our tenth edition. To me the festival is as much about the creative outlet throughout the year, as it is about the three days of the pop up French village. Working this year with a newborn has been full on and I feel so lucky to still work and be creative, whilst being a stay at home mum.”
Dates:
Friday, 30 November from 12:00pm–9:00pm
Saturday, 1 December from 10:00am – 7:00pm
Sunday, 2 December from 10.00am – 6:00pm
Address: Williams Rd & Lechlade Ave, South Yarra, Victoria, 3141
What is the entry cost?
Tickets can be booked online from September 13 via www.paristoprovence.com.au
Early bird one-day adult tickets can be purchased from $18.50 increasing to $20.50 thereafter
Seniors and National Trust member three-day passes purchased online are $18.50, or $20.50 for a three-day ticket purchased at the gate
Children aged 6-16 years: $7.00
For those unable to attend, I was lucky enough to go to a Croissant making class with the amazing Agathè Patisserie.
Did you know it takes 2 days to make a Croissant? I have a new found respect for croissants and understand the price of them!!!
I learnt just how much butter is in them and why they taste so amazing.
I also have an easy and yummy recipe for you to make your own yummy croissants at home.
MATCHA CROISSANTS
By Paris to Provence Serves 8
Ingredients
● 150g Water
● 150g Milk
● 10g Dry yeast
● 500g Baker’s flour
● 12g Matcha powder
● 50g Sugar
● 10g Salt
● 250g Butter
Egg Wash
● 1Egg
● 50g Milk
Method
Croissants, preparation
Place water, then milk, then dry yeast in a mixing bowl and stir.
Add the flour, matcha, sugar and salt.
In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix at speed one for five minutes, followed by five minutes at speed two.
Take the dough out and flatten on a tray. Cover with cling film and keep overnight in the fridge.
Croissants, assembling
The following day, take out of the fridge, flatten the dough and cover with cling film again. Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
Croissants, laminating the dough
To laminate the dough, take the butter and beat it/roll it with a rolling pin to make a rectangle roughly 20cm x 15cm. Reserve in the fridge until needed.
Take the dough out of the freezer and roll into a rectangle roughly 20cm x 30cm.
Place the butter in the centre of the dough and fold the dough so it covers the butter completely, then start rolling out the dough with the butter inside until the length is over 60cm
Fold the dough length wise so that it makes three even layers on top of each other. Place in the freezer for 30 min.
Take the dough out of the freezer and roll out to a rectangle roughly 20cm x 40cm
Cut into 8 long thin triangles, with the length to the tip of about 20cm, and the base 10cm wide. Roll the triangles to form the croissant.
Place on a baking tray, not too close to each other (maximum 6 per tray)
Croissants, cooking
Keep in a just-warm oven (29C maximum) for 1.5hours and spray with water from time to time
○ Note: if your oven doesn’t allow you to set it this low, just put them in a turned off oven for proving
Meanwhile, mix together the egg and milk to make the egg wash.
Using a soft brush, brush the egg wash on the croissants.
While you’re making the egg wash and glazing the croissants, turn the oven up to 170C.
Bake for 20minutes.
Leave on the baking for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
It is well worth attending. You will not be disappointed. It truly is a fun festival, with so much to offer and who doesn’t love a French pastry for two while you walk around and check it out.
KB x
