This Week in Food: France comes to Como, Cricket in Italy and Festive Fitzroy North

COMO TO FRANCE: This November will see Melbourne’s annual French festival, Paris to Provence, transform the grounds of Como House for the 10th year running. From Friday 30th November through to Sunday 2nd December there’ll be more than 75 French exhibitors with food from the likes of L’Hotel Gitan and Entrecôte, a a Pop-up French cinema, an Escargot eating race, and cooking demonstrations from Agathé Patisserie, Pierrick Boyer, Le Pot de Moutarde and more. More info – www.paristoprovence.com.au.

CRICKET IN ITALY: Port Melbourne local favourite The Cricketers Arms has had yet another change of hands, and reports so far on “The Cricketers” are pretty good. There’s some good pub gub all week, but for Tuesdays from last Tuesday until the 4th December, they’ll also have 2018 Top 12 Masterchef alumbi Aldo Ortado taking over the kitchen and dishing up an Italian menu that’ll include Ragu alla Napoli, and salted coconut pannacotta, with mango and macadamia praline. https://www.thecricketersport.com.au/

FESTIVE FITZROY NORTH: It’s been a big first year for Donovan Cook at Fitzroy’s North’s Ryne. They recently scored a hat in the Good Food Awards, and to celebrate that and their first birthday – for the month of November they’re offering a complimentary glass of sparkling for every booking made. There’s a new bar menu, updated spring menu and now for the Summer, a Sunday lunch special “Four Tastes of the Sea” – a four-course tasting menu for $64 that includes four delicate tastes of the sea including Oyster, Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare, Grilled Harvey Bay Scallop and Slow Cooked Tiger Prawn. www.ryne.com.au

FOODIE FERRIES: If you have tried the new Port Phillip Ferry services to the Bellarine yet, here’s your excuse – a raft of new all-inclusive day trip packages to explore wineries, restaurant and other attractions on the Peninsula. Think a sail across to the Q Train at Drysdale for their six court degustation, or a long leisurely lunch at the picturesque Jack Rabbit Winery. More info: https://www.portphillipferries.com.au/packages/