General News
29 February, 2024
Bakery boasts the best pastie
TERANG Country Bakery has been crowned as having the best traditional pasties.
Judges gave the tick of approval for Terang Country Bakery at the 2024 Victorian Baking Show, with the little country bakery showcasing the culinary talent of its staff against some of the best in the industry across 30 classes.
The victory was announced on Saturday at the Victorian Baking Awards dinner in Bendigo.
Terang Country Bakery owners Brad Burkitt and Gaye McVilly were thrilled to share the news of their win, which drew widespread congratulations and praise for staff on social media and in store.
“It went crazy, which was good to see,” Mr Burkitt said.
“It’s really good to have that support from the community.”
Mr Burkitt said it was a tight competition across all classes, with subtle differences creating the separation in adjudication against strict criteria.
“The baking show had people come from not just Victoria, but also Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia - from everywhere - just to compete,” he said.
“Everything is made in your own bakery and taken along to be put in front of a panel of judges.
“They’re looking for pastry thickness, how much is baked, the colour, the shape – lots of different criteria rather than just taste and look.”
Mr Burkitt said Terang Country Bakery’s pasties had scored well with the pastry, but that it had been the filling which set the product apart.
“Our pasties are different to everyone else because we cut the potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, onion and garlic, which is then roasted in the oven for an hour and a half,” he said.
“We mix it with breadcrumbs to hold it all together.
“So those steps give it a different, caramelised taste from roasting rather than just putting it all together uncooked and cooking it all at once.
“We also use chunks of vegetables, whereas a lot of people use grated vegetables which cook faster in the oven.”
Mr Burkitt said the recognition was credit to everyone at the bakery, who all played a role in creating the savory snack.
“We all took part in it; every single person who works out the back had a part in what was entered in to the competition,” he said.
The humble pastie can often be overlooked in a pie-loving nation such as Australia, but Mr Burkitt said Terang Country Bakery churns through more than a few.
“Hopefully the win encourages more people to give it a try,” he said.
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