I set off on an Easter long weekend to the mountains to rest and refresh. En route, my companion and I took a luncheon pitstop at Nuggets Crossing in Jindabyne.

My research had indicated that the Sundance Bakery was a fine place to get a bite to eat. More importantly, my companion had called ahead and confirmed that it would be open on Good Friday. So I sauntered in, took a look at what was on offer, and decided upon the Chunky Steak Pie ($5.70) and an iced coffee to wash it down on this warm, sunny day in Autumn.

The immediate thing to note was the unorthodox oblong shape of this well-sized pie. The pastry was light in colour–mostly blonde with just a bit of brown on top. and its light colour.

Biting into the pie confirmed that, in this instance, looks were not deceiving. The pastry was clearly a bit underdone, having a raw-ish, doughy flavour. It didn’t ruin the pie but it certainly let it down.

The filling was comprised of large chunks of steak (all pies were apparently chunky) with gravy. The steak was indeed chunky. It was largely tender but occasionally dry and chewy with a fibrous texture. Most importantly, it was underseasoned. The gravy picked things up–it was a standard flavour profile, uncomplicated with a hint of pepper. But it couldn’t quite make up for the underseasoned steak and the two components weren’t as blended together as they could have been.

The pie was underwhelming but not unpleasant. It was a good size for the price but just didn’t hit the mark with some obvious shortcomings. Hopefully this was just an off day.

In any event, Sundance Bakery is a nice stop on the way to, or return from, a trip to Mount Kosciuszko. It sells a range of pies and other baked goods. The iced coffee was quite pleasant too.

On the way back from a coast weekend, I convinced my car buddies to drive back via Ulladulla in order to make a visit to Hayden’s Pies. This particular establishment had been on my list for a while, having been highly-recommended by a colleague.

It wasn’t much to look at on arrival, snuggled between a hardware store on one side and an auto parts store on the other. But what of the pies?

On entering, I was met with a vast array of options. There were all the usuals–steak, chunky steak, steak and pepper, steak and mushroom, etc. etc. There were also some less conventional pies on offer, including a crocodile pie. But on this occasion I couldn’t go past the weekend special of Steak Diane & Potato Galette ($6.70).

The pie was open-faced, adorned with a layer of golden-brown, crispy potatoes. Otherwise, the pie was a bit of a mystery, its contents unseen, sitting in a foil tray that obscured even a view of the pastry. I would have to tuck in to find out.

But before I could do this I had to find a patch of land on which to eat the pie. The seating at Hayden’s Pies was off limits due to pandemic-related restrictions (on order of the Ulladulla Police, no less) and there didn’t appear to be any nearby public seating. My efforts at eating-on-the-go were thwarted, structural integrity issues making clear the reason for the foil. But eventually, after much searching on this hot day, I found a bench on the side of the road and sat down, the delay adding to the aforementioned desire to tuck in.

The pie was initially tricky to eat but once I got going I was fine. The crispy, golden potato slices were complemented by chunky steak in a tasty gravy. The gravy was a bit thinner than typical and I suppose this contributed to the softness of the pastry underneath. Its flavour was mild and mellow, seasoned-well with a bit of pepper but without a punch. The meat was good quality and tender. Did it evoke ‘Steak Diane’? Upon looking up what that was meant to entail, it definitely had some buttery richness. Amongst everything else, the pastry was unremarkable but that didn’t matter–I wolfed it down in no time.

Hayden’s Pies sells a wide variety of pies and other pastries, including vegetarian options (though no vegan ones spotted). This includes all the favourites, a few unusual offerings, and daily and weekly specials. The price-point is reasonable for what is on offer. Hayden’s Pies may not be the most picturesque place, nor presently a venue to eat the pies, but it more than makes up in its pies.

On a Saturday some weekends before Christmas, I set off with two companions to the Christmas Barn in Bredbo for Christmas-y nonsense. I had never visited the Christmas Barn before. It was a curious experience. But this is pie blog, not a creepy doll blog, so I shan’t go further on that.

Having completed the Christmas Barn experience, we desired nutrition. A pie! Why not? So we went to the nearby bakery or pie shop or whatever it’s called, seeking the good stuff.

They were all out.

‘Rather than waiting, why not go to Cooma?’–says I. ‘Okay’–says the companions. And so we set off for Kuma Pies of Cooma.

I was greeted, on arrival, with a number of options on display. But which to choose? I decided to go with the Beef & Cracked Pepper Pie ($7.20) in search of some spice.

Ah, t’was a good looking pie! The top pastry was caramelised, glossy on top. It was a delightful golden brown colour and appeared very sturdy. And its flavour matched its appearance–it was indeed well-seasoned and sturdy, providing a suitable casing for the contents therein (though, I did think later that the pastry on the top tasted a bit underdone).

The contents is where things got curious, as I was greeted with a meat and gravy that was grey-brown in colour, instead of an anticipated deep brown, with flecks of black pepper. There were big chunks of meat engulfed in a gravy which was creamy rather than runny. The flavour was peppery but in a subtle rather than in-your-face way–as a fan of pepper, I could have done with a bit more of a hit. The meat was fairly tender and noticeably of good quality, well-seasoned and complemented by some caramelised onion. But still, the dominant feature of the pie was just how subtle and creamy it all was, the creaminess almost overwhelming the beef. But still, a tasty and generous pie.

A companion went for the Steak, Potato and Cheese Pie ($7.20). They too commented on the quality of the chunky steak and the decent pastry and summarised the experience as an enjoyable one.

In the end, a decent enough pie despite being somewhat unexpected. It hit the spot and was worth the extra drive. Kuma Pies proved to be a decent country bakery offering a range of the usual pies and other baked goods.

A vegan-oriented companion provides the following opinion of the vegan Pumpkin and Lentil Pie from Mogo Pies ($6, $6.70 with sauce) on a recent trip during which I sadly hadn’t the appetite to partake myself:

The pumpkin and lentil filling was rich–the pumpkin was sweet while the lentils were earthy, accompanied by a hint of curry spice. The pastry was impeccable–chewy on the inside and flaky on the outside, it provided maximum structural integrity for ease of eating. Delicious!

Sounds like a very competent effort–a welcome vegan addition that makes Mogo Pies an appealing destination for those so-inclined. I very much look forward to returning to try the pies out for myself.

The end of a weekend’s camping and the long drive home brought with it the opportunity to try out another rural pie stop. It was also an opportunity to overcome the mild disappointment of the prior experience (see previous post). Several hours in, we neared the Nimmitabel Bakery–this seemed a fine place to stop. It even had a curious elephant statue out the front (a brief internet search reveals its name to be ‘George’).

T’was a busy day with many like-minded adventurers seeking pastry goods to satiate their hunger. I entered the bakery with my two companions and perused the options. I settled on Steak & Mushroom. Alas, there were none ready. Never mind! How about a Pepper Steak? Still in the oven. Tish Tish! Would you happen to have a Chunky Steak?

At this point I was becoming a bit concerned. What started out so promising was swiftly becoming a debacle. Et tu, Nimmitabel? I feared I had left reality and entered the pie equivalent of Monty Python’s cheese shop sketch. Perhaps that should be ‘Monty Piethon’. I’ll grab my coat…

Returning to the narrative–I readied myself for rejection and it appeared to be coming. But no! They’ve just come out of the oven. Marvellous. I took the Chunky Steak Pie and parted with my $5.80.

I went outside to eat the pie, taking a seat near George. First impressions: very blonde and a bit on the small side. Its pale tint had me concerned that the bakers had rushed it out to deal with the onslaught of customers, sacrificing quality for the capitalist imperative in a manner that reminded me of an experience at Pie Fest 2019. But these worries quickly dissipated as I commenced the consumption. The pastry was balanced and complemented the filling very well. It had a pleasing texture, crispy and not at all soggy. It was not necessarily remarkable beyond this but that’s not really a problem. A buttery pastry may sound like a treat but really a well-textured pastry that contrasts with a rich filling, rather than competing with it, it my ideal. This pastry had the goods.

But what of the filling? Again–a pleasant surprise given the initial outlook. The filling was comprised of big chunks of tender meat complemented by soft, sweet caramelised onion. The gravy was tasty, complex, and well-seasoned. It had a peppery hit balanced by a hint of sweetness. This gravy had that little bit extra while retaining an honest quality of a straightforward steak pie. As noted, the filling and pastry complemented each other wonderfully. This was a tasty treat and a joy to eat.

One companion bought a Chicken and Corn Pie and had similar remarks about the texture of the pastry and the quality of the filling. Another companion selected the Curry Vegetable pie and was also impressed.

The Nimmitabel Bakery was a charming oasis. Though we didn’t stay long, I shall remember it as the pie stop that redeemed the trip. The pies were top notch and it was easy to understand why it was so well patronised. It’s well worth the visit if you’re down that way. Say hi to George.

On a warm Spring morning, I set out with two companions for a weekend of camping. In preparing for this journey, I had recognised the opportunity for pie-stops en route. First up was the Bemboka Pie Shop.

From the range of pies on show, I chose the Chunky Steak Pie ($5.20).

The pie was middle-of-the-range in size with a blonde bottom and a browned top. The pastry itself had an unfortunate, slightly uncooked flavour to it–there was some noticeable flour-notes. That aside, the pastry was fine but unremarkable.

The pie was filled with tender meat complemented by a smooth, meaty, tasty gravy–a good start. But then some hiccups. There was a surfeit of chunky steak given the naming of the pie. Perhaps more importantly, it was underseasoned. While the gravy was tasty, it was a mellow tasty and lacked a punch. Absent the necessary seasoning then, it was an understated affair which was compounded by the limited chunks of steak in the notionally chunky steak pie. The several hours of driving had primed me for a pie but this had not quite hit the spot.

A hungry companion decided to go with a Chicken Curry Pie ($5.20) which was described as ‘middle of the road’. Regrettably for a second hungry companion, there were no vegan options.

Our Bemboka Pie Shop experience was, sadly, a bit of a disappointment. By no means a bad experience but just not what we were looking for. Nevertheless, one of the few stops out that way for a pie with a decent range.