GALLERY: Tzaneen starts an avolution
Taste buds were suitably tantalised by all things avocado.
The first of its kind AvoFest took place last week from Thursday through to Saturday at the Tzaneen Showgrounds, sponsored by Maluma and Allesbeste.
The event turned out to be a wonderful family fun-filled three days with lots of avo-related stalls and foods, live music and galleries of avo-art.
Taste buds were suitably tantalised by all things avocado. Upon entry to the festival, Maluma staff encouraged people to take a taste of an avocado milkshake. The creamy shake was an unexpected delight.
Renowned chef Gerhard Koekemoer who is based in Gauteng re-visited his routes for the AvoFest, engaging festival attendees with cooking demonstrations throughout the three days. Of course, for each dish, avocados were the heroes.
Koekemoer, who now often graces our screens on Channel 146 was once schooled at Ben Vorster and so returning to Tzaneen for the AvoFest was something close to his heart.
On Thursday Koekemoer delivered one demonstration during the day but upped the shows to three per day on Friday and Saturday.
Thursday evening saw a food and gin pairing session where Koekemoer teamed up with ClemenGold to deliver some treats to tease the taste buds. The likes of a zesty lime and cayenne pepper guacamole on a toasted tortilla was served with a suitably paired citrus gin. Further pairings included a gin and rose water tonic to accompany a smokey avocado chocolate mousse with a smoked strawberry sauce.
Chef Gerhard and the food stalls certainly thought out of the box to celebrate and deliver all things avo to the festival customers.
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The LETABA HERALD contacted Johann Fourie, one of the AvoFest event co-coordinators, to find out why they decided to deliver such a festival, “There is no gathering of this kind in the world for avocado growers and people in the avocado community. We all know about NAMPO and how it is for the grain industry. We wanted to do something similar for the avocado growers and everyone in the avocado chain.”
The event turned out to be of huge success, “It went way beyond our expectations for year one. We had in excess of 1000 feet through the day each day,” said Fourie.
Although only in its infancy, the festival looks set for big things, sparking attention from those in the industry across the world.
This year, a French company exhibited at the event and other interested parties flew in to scout out the extent of the event. Within thirty minutes of being at the festival, they expressed their interest to exhibit in coming years.
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On Thursday, a number of local schools entertained the crowds with performances and dances, including a lovely act from the SAVF Kleuterskool drum majorettes.
On Saturday, there was a blanket drive, encouraging bikers to bring a blanket in exchange for entrance into the festival.
Members of the Ulysses and Tzaneen Roadhogs as well as independent riders took part, delivering 25 blankets that will be donated to Noah’s Ark Children’s Centre.
With next year’s AvoFest promising to only be bigger and better, this is an event to watch out for and not miss in Tzaneen’s annual social calendar.
