Spring Fling dishes up a foodie weekend

Guests at the Oruawharo Food and Wine Pairing and Tour. Photo / Paul Taylor

Central Hawke’s Bay’s Spring Fling continued last weekend with the Oruawharo Food and Wine Pairing and Tour, in which Central Hawke’s Bay’s winemakers Ash Ridge Wines and Junction Wines teamed up with St Vincent’s Oruawharo to pair some of the best food and wine in the district.

The busy kitchen, as staff plate up one of chef Will Lauder’s six dishes. Photo / Paul Taylor

The tour guided participants through the 150-year-old Oruawharo Homestead, then in St Vincent’s Church, winemaker Leith Ashworth and chef Will Lauder paired six wines and dishes.

The weekend also saw Punanga Lodge host Italia - with guests treated to a feast of Italian food and creating three Italian dishes in a hands-on foodies experience.

Historic St Vincent's Church set the scene for the event. Photo / Paul Taylor

This coming weekend’s events - Bon Vivant Happening at Wallingford, and the Central Hawke’s Bay Homestead Trail - are both sold out, but there’s plenty of room at the next event: the Waipawa Spring Festival, AKA Duck Day, on October 14.

Winemaker Leith Ashworthexplains his choices at the Oruawharo Food and Wine Pairing event, part of the Spring Fling.

Entry is free to the festival, now in it’s 28th year, which offers stalls, food and entertainment and more than 1500 little plastic ducks racing down the Waipawa River.