Italian Tomato Day - Passata and the Melbourne Tomato Festival

"Nothing defines Italian Culture in Melbourne more than the backyard tomato harvest and suburban garage sauce making."

Melbourne Tomato Festival

One of the benefits of doing this blog is that I find out what's happening on the foodie scene in Melbourne. Well some of it. Today I noticed, in our local paper of all places, a reference to the Melbourne Tomato Festival - one of our younger festivals - this is the third year only. This year it's in Northcote, and last year, to my chagrin I found that it was held here in Eltham at the Council's Community Farm - well its environmental centre. I did not know it was on. I am ashamed.

According to the website the Italian community in Melbourne is the second largest ethnic group - the first would be the Greeks I guess. We Brits don't count as ethnic - a fact that always irks me. Why do Australians not include us in the ethnic groups and the multiculturalism that they are so proud of? We are not like Australians in spite of their British heritage. Anyway that's another topic. And I bet we are the largest ethnic group. Mind you the Chinese might be getting near the top group these days.

At this time of year the Italians gather together and make passata in their backyards. It's a big family gathering I believe - all the generations slave away crushing tomatoes and bottling them, and finish up by cooking up a good old Italian feast. Almost all Italians will talk in a nostalgic manner of having helped out when young at these mini festivals. They also used to kill and process a pig - salmi, ham, etc. etc. - on another occasion - but I don't think they are allowed to do that now. So nowadays it's just passata - and probably lots of non-Italians are doing it too. Such is living in a multicultural society.

So Guy Grossi, the current head (I think) of the Grossi restaurant family in Melbourne, began this festival to celebrate all things Italian, but particularly passata. And it has been a big success. Last year, officially endorsed by the State Premier opening it. And here is Guy Grossi giving a demonstration at last year's festival. He is the owner and chef of one of Melbourne's most prestigious restaurants. I have dined there once! Well a couple of times in the downstairs cheaper section. It's wonderful food.

I confess I am a little confused as to what exactly is involved in making passata. I read the subject up on the net and there seemed to be a bit of confusion. Some seem to cook the tomatoes up first with some herbs. Others simply wash them, chop them and crush them through these big machines, and then pour it into bottles which are then sterilised. But after quite a bit of reading I think the latter is the correct way of doing it.

Which makes passata, simply crushed tomatoes I guess. I assume that putting it through the machine gets rid of the skins and seeds. Whatever it is - it's really good as an extra flavour enhancer and also as the base of what you put on pizza. It's a raw tomato sauce - thinner and less concentrated than tomato purée and not as highly flavoured as tomato sauce.

But they are not just making passata at this festival. There is lots of other stuff going on too - gnocchi making, treading grapes (I did that once - not a pleasant experience - the stalks are a bit hard and prickly on the feet.), food stalls, farmer's market, music, cooking demonstrations from some big name Melbourne chefs. It's all happening in Northcote this Sunday. I recommend going by tram though - the parking is terrible.

It's yet another Melbourne festival - there's always one or another going on. Currently we have Moomba (Let's get together and have fun) and this year Guy Grossi is the Moomba King, with Karen Martini (another Italian chef) the Moomba Queen, the French Film Festival, The Melbourne Tomato Festival and I think the Fashion Festival too - though that may have finished.

Of course the granddaddy of all the tomato festivals is that one in Spain where they throw tomatoes at each other. That red colour everywhere in the photo is tomatoes.

It takes place in the town of Buno near Valencia. I thought it must be some ancient tradition but no - it only started in 1944 or 1945. They are not quite sure why. Maybe they were cross at something and started throwing tomatoes around, liked it so much that they did it again the next year and so on. Franco put a stop to it, but it was revived back in the 70s and now draws huge crowds - so much so that they have now limited the number to 20,000. About 100 metric tons of tomatoes are thrown around. The shipowners have to completely cover the fronts of their buildings with heavy-duty plastic. And when it has all been washed away apparently the cobblestones are all clean from the acid in the tomatoes. I'm sure it boosts the tourist income of the town, but I really, really, don't approve. I think there is something almost disgusting about it. Such a waste of perfectly good food. Not my idea of fun at all.

I think our own mini tomato festival is a much better idea. Though I doubt I shall be going - too busy. But my son, who lives in Northcote - might. It's a really good idea anyway.

"Tomato Sauce Day is when Italians all around the world get together with their families to make, bottle and preserve tomato passata to stock up the cupboards and use for the year. The call of Tomato Sauce Day is felt loud and strong across each family as it stands for so much more than the end product of having passata to take home. It mostly stands for family, for a coming together of all the generations and for making something together that is shared between all." Amanda - Chew Town