The inaugural Rootstock Festival will take place in Winton on April 20, and it will be all about the swede.
Taking place at Wilson’s Veges farm, this paddock festival features an afternoon packed with swede-inspired activities, from cooking demonstrations and swede bowling to a diverse music lineup.
Festival organisers said the festival would not be the typical winter mash.
Often thought of as livestock feed, or a bland, over-cooked side dish, and sold at roadside stalls, the humble swede is being redefined.
Talented chefs, and local bakers (and chocolatiers) will be embracing the swede’s simple charm and elevating it from humble beginnings to the centrepiece. Those turning swedes into fine feeds include Kadin Conner, chef of Fin and Feather in Rakiura, with swede sorbet, a muttonbird dish, and even a vodka,
Chef Ethan Flack — a fine-dining heavyweight in Invercargill, is already known for his refreshing swede tacos, and swede noodle soup that redefines how you think of the root vege.
Students from the culinary school at the Southern Institute of Technology are whipping up swede-as dishes. Vegan baker Jessintha Leith, of Herbie’s Fully Vegan, is baking sweet delights; and there are even more chefs, food innovators, and even chocolatiers joining the swede spree.
Tastings range in price from $2 to $10.
The festival is an R18 event, cash-only and not wheelchair accessible.
