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This is a round-up of the Ricotta Festival 2023 held at That's Amore in Thomastown. Even though the festival is over for this year, there is a cafe and deli/cheesery on-site open every day from 8 am until 5 pm (except on Sunday when it closes at 4 pm), so you can experience many of the delights I will mention outside of the yearly Ricotta Festival.
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Thomastown is a long way from my side of town, and Amore Cheese's premises are in an industrial estate. It didn't sound enticing. But it was great.
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There was a sense of being in Italy. That's Amore Cheese's car park was being used for the event, so people were parking everywhere. If there wasn't a space, the nature strip would do. Just like Rome!
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After I found a spot and gained entrance, I noticed this event was well-attended by members of Australia's vibrant Italian community and their descendants—lots of well-dressed women and sharply dressed men. Fashion stakes were high.
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Carlton, it wasn't. But somehow, the atmosphere felt more authentically Italian. I was there in time to hear the founder, Sicilian immigrant Giorgio Linguanti introduce himself to the crowd.
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He began making bocconcini leaf, sheets of mozzarella that can be rolled with other ingredients, in 2008, which he sold to restaurants. He had a small solo operation. These days, his business, That's Amore, is the only specialty Italian cheese maker in Australia, with over 60 different cheeses. He employs over 100 people in his pristine factory.
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All cheeses are made from traditional Italian recipes, using fresh local ingredients, and have won a myriad of awards, especially for That's Amore burrata, diavoletti (stuffed scamorza), trecce and, more recently, for items like gelato and cannoli.
The cheeses are artisanal, handmade, and naturally free from preservatives and artificial colours.
This year Amore Stracciatella was nominated for the 2023 Australian Grand Dairy Awards. This is the ultimate indulgent cheese: fresh strips of mozzarella bathed in cream.
Sicily has festivals dedicated to ricotta, such as the Ricotta Cheese Festival in Vizzini, rich in folklore and gastronomy.
Giorgio has brought the concept here. This is the only Ricotta Festival in Australia and has proved so popular it is now in its 3rd year.
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He told us how ricotta is the healthiest of all cheeses due to its whey protein and low-fat content. The whey is used to make ricotta: the proteins are collected and re-cooked, or 'ricotta' in Italian, hence the name "ricotta."
Everyone at the festival was given a soup bowl size of hot ricotta with a slab of good Italian bread.
What a great experience. I sat like Miss Muffet, tucking into whey- a delicious treat with its slightly sweet, nutty flavour.
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Giorgio said his favourite way to eat ricotta was in cannoli. And there were piles of that delight on-site and great Italian coffee.
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Stores were set up so you could try and buy various authentic Italian products. I left loaded with olive oils, pasta, and naturally smoked meats.
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The Italians know how to eat!
If you missed this great event, you can replicate part of it by visiting the onsite cafe and deli. They stock many of the items attendees tasted at the festival.
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Then you can also tuck into the panini filled with locally sourced ham and squacquerone, or Campano Panini (Porchetta, eggplant & buffalo mozzarella) or an antipasto platter laden with cured meats, and Spaghetti al Pomodoro & Burrata (housemade spaghetti with Napoli sauce & burrata).
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Or simply have bread, and that's Amore cheese: Diavoletti, Mozzarella, smoked cheese, flavoured cheese, Buffalo Ricotta, and so many more. Or how about Ricotta Calda with Fruit (hot ricotta served with honey and waffles) followed by figs in syrup, cannoli and Italian coffee. Fantastico!
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That's Amore also offers cheesemaking and
cooking classes on-site.
