Festa Del Pomodoro at Mister Bianco

If you've never participated in a classic Italian sugo-making day (and always wanted to) or your family stopped the tradition because it was just too much of an effort, this one-day sauce party shouldn't be missed.

On the night of Saturday, March 2, Kew's Mister Bianco is hosting a three-course Festa del Pomodoro (Tomato Day) dinner, during which owner Joe Vargetto will share some of his sugo-making secrets. You won't be making the sauce yourself, but you'll go home inspired to make a batch of your own after seeing his cooking demonstration and tasting it in a series of Italian dishes.

For $145 per person, guests will share a selection of entrees and tuck into an array of main dishes that hero the humble tomato. This will include two kinds of pasta, an eggplant cotoletta and a couple of salads. This'll all end with a classic Sicilian cannolo from T. Cavallaro + Sons, an old-school Italian pasticceria in Footscray.

Tickets include house wines throughout the night, plus everyone will take home a bottle of sugo made by Joe Vargetto and his team. This might just be the perfect excuse to start your own sugo-making festivities at home, now that we're getting into Australia's tomato season.

Images: Kristoffer Paulsen