Potatoes take centre stage at Ballarat Mining Exchange

The versatility of the ‘spud’ will be on show this Saturday with the Potato Festival returning for its second year.

The 2018 Ballarat Potato Festival, as part of Ballarat Winter Festival, will celebrate the potato in all its forms – from potato donuts to gnocchi, rosti and sweet potato brownies.

With the spotlight on local produce and local chefs, visitors to this year’s festival will have the chance to stimulate their taste buds and experience the best Ballarat has to offer.

This year’s vendors include:

The Forge • Potato and maple bacon soup made from local russet potatoes and maple bacon • Pink potato and parmesan gnocchi made from local pink viking potato with a rich beef brisket raghu

The Local • Potato doughnuts filled with passionfruit and lemon curd • Potato hotcakes with maple • Potato scones with jam and cream Our Curly Fries • Curly fries Traditional

Baked Potatoes • Baked potatoes

Bagel Junction • Garlic parmesan fries • Ranch chicken and bacon fries • Mexican fries • Slow roasted loaded beef fries • Slow roasted loaded pork fries • Loaded mac and cheese fries

Pickles Bar • Those Girls Hot Apple Cider (non-alcoholic) • Potato and leek soup served in a cob loaf with a potato rosti, crispy bacon and spring onion • Potato waffle topped with goats cheese, caramelised onion, crispy bacon and thyme • Potato waffle bruschetta with fresh tomato, basil, onion and balsamic glaze • Sweet potato brownie topped with pistachios

Oggies Pasties (and pies) • Traditional cornish pasties with beef, potato, swede, onion • Lamb, mint and rosemary pastie • Steak and guinness pastie • Vegetarian/vegan pastie with lightly curried vegetable with chickpeas • Slow cooked beef, potato and carrot pie • Peppered steak and mushroom pie • African chicken and potato pie • Potato sausage roll • Seafood chowder

Masala Valley • Veg Samoa • Potato curry Bright Life Catering • Potato dumplings • Potato smoothies Country Casseroles • Curried sausage casserole • Irish stew with mash potato or scallop potato • Potato lasagne

Red Duck Brewery Three Cats Coffee Amherst Winery

The Ballarat Potato Festival will take place at the Ballarat Mining Exchange between 3pm-8pm on Saturday 30 June.

Entry is via a gold coin at the door