In these unprecedented, COVID-19 times, I’ve been on a bit of a pie-fast. But on a cool Saturday morning betwixt sofa-searching, lounge-looking, and couch-considering, I got back on my pie-horse and broke that pie-fast. Giddy up.
My companion and I settled on Wildflour Artisan Bakery & Cafe, an establishment I had enjoyed on an earlier occasion sans pie. Their meat-filled pastry-sack offerings had caught my eye then but I withstood temptation and had some sweet, non-pie nonsense instead. But this time, I was there for pie and pie alone.
There was a clear candidate–the Beef Briskit Pie (sic–$6.50).
‘Beef Briskit Pie’ (sic) from Wildflour Artisan Bakery & Cafe
We took a seat in the outside, socially-distanced seating area, embraced by the refreshing autumn air and a light pitter-patter of raindrops on the rooftop.
This pie was quite the looker–golden brown and flaky on top. So far, so good.
Interior of the Beef Briskit Pie (sic)
The pastry was soft to the bite and complemented the beefy contents well. Those contents were the real star of this pie. Chunks of well-seasoned, tender steak accompanied by caramelised onions. The interior was a warm reddish-brown–it looked and tasted like a warming beef stew. It was rich–perhaps some deep red wine was involved. Beefy. Tender. This pie was rich and luxurious, a real treat and oh so satisfying. A gourmet pie. The perfect return to pie.
My companion, sadly, did not partake as they didn’t have any vegan baked goods. I don’t know if this is always the case.
Wildflour Artisan Bakery & Cafe is located in Fyshwick and serves a range of baked goods, both savoury and sweet. Highly recommended.
On a Saturday, following a busy morning, I suddenly came over all peckish.
Esuriant.
‘Ee I were all ‘ungry-like!
And I thought to myself, ‘a little gravied beef encased in pastry will do the trick’, so, I curtailed my inspecting activities, sallied forth, and infiltrated a place of purveyance to negotiate the vending of some beefy comestibles!
That place of purveyance was Dobinsons. I considered their range and went for the Peppered Steak Pie ($4.90).
‘Peppered Steak Pie’ from Dobinsons
The exterior was golden, flakes of pepper on the top, gravy ooing out and crusted from the oven. The pie smelled appealing but with an unexpected scent–vegetable, though not quite herby.
Upon biting into the pie, I was met with a classic steak flavour. The gravy was tasty, its texture pleasingly smooth, and it was seasoned well. But I wasn’t met with the expected pepper hit. The curious smell intensified, its source soon becoming apparent. For I quickly struck upon the small green beads that dotted the pie–green peppercorns. Ah, yes. ‘Peppered’ here meant not the expected black pepper, but whole green peppercorns. A surprising and unconventional approach.
Did it work? Not quite. While I can understand the object perhaps being an alternative and more subtle ‘peppered’ than a liberal use of ground black pepper (green peppercorns being unripe black pepper), it resulted in a foreign flavour, texture, and aroma that detracted from the steak and gravy. Whereas black pepper provides an acute sharpness to accentuate the beef, the green peppercorns introduced a distraction.
Interior of the Dobinsons Peppered Steak Pie
That being said, the filling was otherwise quite enjoyable and the green peppercorns were a downside rather than a disaster. The pastry was competent and a suitably complemented the filling. Ultimately, this was an enjoyable pie that should have been better. No doubt my pepper expectations contributed to the minor disappointment.
Dobinsons is a Canberra-based bakery with multiple locations, each serving a range of sweet and savoury goods. Their output is consistent and dependable, though perhaps unexceptional.
I ventured to Hobart, Tasmania (prev: Van Diemen’s Land) last month. There, I did a great many things, including pie-consumption.
I set out with my companion early on our first full day in Hobart, aiming for an early brekky to be swiftly followed by a visit to Mount Wellington and thence to MONA. En route, we spied a curious establishment spruiking ‘fancy pies’ and purporting to operate on a 24/7 basis.
Pilgrim Pies (48 Argyle Street, Hobart, Tasmania)
But alas, we were on course for another venue. But alas, alas! Said other venue was chokkas! Thus we backtracked to Pilgrim Pies to see what it was all about.
On entering, we were treated to their display of pies which did look fancy. I opted for the Beef, Rosemary, and Pinot Pie ($12).
Beef, Rosemary, and Pinot Pie from Pilgrim Pies
The pie was handsome, a golden-brown (reddish-brown, on reflection), and flaky. It’s flaky appearance was exceeded by it’s flakiness on biting into it–at least the top casing. The top was comprised of multiple thin, flaky layers; the bottom was thick and rich, very buttery, like a dessert pastry. This aspect of the pastry, whilst clearly good quality, was a bit overwhelming.
Interior of the Pilgrim Pies Beef, Rosemary, and Pinot Pie
The meat was tender and juicy, accompanied by a subtle gravy. The flavour was a winner but it was a bit underseasoned and there was a clear ratio issue–too much pastry, not enough filling.
Meanwhile, my companion went for the Huevos Rancheros Pie ($8) comprised of eggs, beans, and capsicum.
Huevos Rancheros Pie from Pilgrim Pies
The comments on this pie were that the flavours were nice when they came through (clear notes of spice and smoke) and the pastry was very good. But as with my pie, the rich pastry overwhelmed the filling.
Pilgrim Pies was my sole pie experience in Tasmania and was well worth it. I can confirm the pies are fancy. They also sell a range of sweet pastries and coffee. I recommend.
A reader writes the following in relation to their recent experience in Emirates Business Class (fancy) whence they partook in a ‘Lamb Pie filled with braised free range New Zealand lamb and rosemary’:
The offering was visually appealing, albeit presented spare, absent any aroma. The pastry was disappointing, possessing neither flakiness nor taste. The filling comprised tender chunks of beef in a rich gravy, with the occasional sliver of onion though no evidence of rosemary. With gristle and fat, and barely warm, it was decidedly underwhelming. The Emirates’ Light Bites Lamb Pie arrived full of promise but, alas, was one of the few menu selections which fell below expectations.
Thanks to Mel for the review. Shame about the pie.
It’s been over a month since my last update, in no small part due to the pie-binge that was Pie Fest 2019. Needless to say, I’d had my fill. But what better way to get back on the pie-horse (or pie-alpaca–read on) than through an inadvertent pie?
This was precisely what transpired as I attended the Australian Alpaca Nationals on a Saturday in August. Amongst the alpaca-themed stalls was Prime Alpaca, offering alpaca pies, sausage rolls, and salami. After some slight hesitation (given the presence of numerous alpacas) I set forth and procured an alpaca pie ($7), described as comprising alpaca leg, red wine, and mushroom in a flaky, golden pastry casing.
‘Alpaca Pie’ from Prime Alpaca (Australian Alpaca Nationals 2019)
The alpaca pie was indeed an attractive prospect, in particular the golden-brown top that promised flaky goodness. The pie had a pleasing, mild meaty aroma which became more apparent as I got stuck in. The pastry was indeed flaky.
Prior to eating it, I was intrigued by the flavour of alpaca, as I hadn’t come across it before. The meat was in chunks and quite tender. It had a mild meaty flavour, akin to veal. It had a bit of an iron-y taste to it, not dissimilar to kidneys. It was quite tasty, though not something that I think I could eat too much of. The meat was complemented by a delicious, well-seasoned, light-coloured gravy with a noticeable red wine inflection. The creamy texture was delightful and the mushrooms provided an additional textural element.
Interior of the Alpaca Pie
The alpaca pie was a nice change though not exactly what I’m after. The meat was a bit too mild–not as nice as a well-peppered beef pie–and, while tasty, was a bit cloying by the end. Otherwise, an interesting and novel option, if you can find it.
I arose early on Saturday 29 June 2019. The air was crisp and fresh. I set out with my two companions with purpose–the purpose of pie. Destination: Pie Fest 2019 at the Bong Bong Racecourse in Bowral, NSW.
Pies, glorious pies.
The weather was perfect for this gathering on pie enthusiasts. There was pie eating, pie throwing, pie cooking, beer, cider, and wine, and oddly enough various other non-pie food stands who could not be more out of place. We were here for pie. Pie, pie, pie, pie, pie. PIE.
Round 1: Steak, Bacon, and Cheese; Smokey Brisket; Sneaky Vegan
We had a quick look around and quickly set forth for a pie. We’d eaten light, stopping just for a coffee, our bellies readied for the pie feast to come.
I opted for the Snake Creek Smokey Brisket Pie ($8.00–middle) from Snake Creek Cattle Company (Werai, NSW). It was an attractive pie, with flaky pastry. The meat was chunky, with a mild smoke. I found it a bit gristly and texturally unappealing. Disappointing. My meat-consuming companion didn’t have the same gristle experience and quite liked it.
My meat-consuming companion obtained a Steak, Bacon, and Cheese Pie ($6.50–left) from Robertson Pie Shop (Robertson, NSW). This pie was creamy on the inside with a buttery pastry on the outside. It was rich, crisp, and flakey–a fine balance of flavours. My meat-eating companion, who favours this particular combination, called it a good job at a classic pie, solid and dependable.
My non-meat-eating companion snagged a Sneaky Vegan ($10.00–right) from Broomfields Pies (Cromer, NSW). This pie was big on the mushroom and herbs. This was a veg pie done well. My non-meat-eating companion raved about the quality of the gravy compared to what is usually the case with vegetarian pies and remarked on the the umami savoury goodness it provided.
With that we set off for a bit of a walk, managing to spot Sammy Sauce and Penny Pie, giving ourselves a rest before getting back to more pie.
During the break I ventured upon the winners list for the NSW/ACT Pie Competition. Regulars to this blog will recall that my pie preferences are humble. I like a classic steak mince, a foodstuff whose delight is in part in its simplicity. I therefore couldn’t pass up the Steak Mince Pie ($5.00–left) from Heatherbrae’s Pies (Heatherbrae, NSW). This had won the ‘Best Steak Mince Pie’ at the NSW/ACT Pie Competition. The pie was pale. The pastry tasted undercooked, a bit floury. The filling was also light coloured and mild in flavour. It was also noticeably not at all hot internally. The pie was fine but a disappointment given its accolades. It also seemed that they were a bit rush in getting the pies out which may have contributed to its undercookedness. What a shame.
Meanwhile, my non-meat-eating companion got a Potato and Greens Pie ($7.50–centre) from Moonacres Kitchen (Robertson, NSW). She described it as a pie that grows on you, starting slowly but finishing strong. It was a bit gritty but otherwise delicious, with a peppery, creamy sauce–perhaps featuring some dijon? I agreed with this assessment wholeheartedly.
But the real winner of the bunch–and of the day–was the ‘Superman Pie’ (Boeuf Bourguignon–$7.50–right) from Stones Patisserie (Berrima, NSW). This was certainly the best looking pie of the day, golden, crisp, puffed, and flaky, sporting a fetching Superman ‘S’. The steak was chunky but perfectly cooked, melting away as I ate it, rich in flavour. The smell was heavenly and it truly had the flavour of boeuf bourguignon. The rich, crisp pastry perfectly complemented the delectable filling. My meat-eating companion thought it was delightful and the ‘whole package’, featuring a ‘cool design on top that [she] really liked[d]’. Yum.
Round 3: Banoffee; Pumpkin, Peanut, and Chilli Jam; Cherry and Apple
We waddled around for a bit more and then thought that dessert was due. Well, not my non-meat-eating companion–her interest was piqued by the Pumpkin, Peanut, and Chili Jam Pie ($5.00–right) from the Loch (Berrima, NSW). My companion remarked that this small pie was a bit dry but had some interesting texture from the peanut. I found it to be pastry-heavy.
My other companion bought a Cherry and Apple Pie ($4.00–centre–I forgot to take a cross-section) from Heatherbrae’s Pies. This sweet pie was served cold. I didn’t find it overwhelmingly sweet as there was from tartness from the cherry. It was well-complemented by the short pastry and was a deep and attractive crimson red on the inside. My companion described it as a ‘delightful cherry pie’.
I decided to finish off with the Banoffee Pie ($7.00-left) from Gumnut Patisserie (Berrima, NSW)–another competition winner (Sweet Pie Category). I had to wait for this as when I first tried to get one they had sold out and were cooking more. This was sweet and subtle, a wonderful example of a Banoffee. My companions commented that it was ‘delightful’ and that ‘[she] rated that’.
And so the day came to a close, our bellies full of pie, enough to last a year–or a week, at least. The standout was the Superman Pie but there were so many good things, too many to try them all. The day was a triumph. I look forward to Pie Fest 2020, as well as the other events accompanying Pie Time in the Southern Highlands of NSW.
Every now and then I donate plasma. I made a point on this occasion of trying a party pie (free with a donation). My understanding is that salty foods are beneficial post-donation and I decided to give the pie a go.
Party Pie at Civic Plasma Donor Centre (Red Cross) [also shown: coffee, sausage roll, tomato sauce]
The exterior was blonde, the pastry less-than-enticing. This sense was confirmed by biting into the miniature pie. The pastry was perfunctory — it served merely to contain the hot filling and added nought in flavour nor texture.
The filling itself was similarly underwhelming. The scent was bland, as was the taste. The colour was an unappealing dark brown, a few bits of meat swimming in a one-note gravy.
Interior of the Party Pie
Look — it’s a party pie. Dime a dozen, not exactly offensive, but nothing special. ‘Pedestrian’ comes to mind. But one mustn’t be too harsh! They are after all, free, and serve a utilitarian purpose of replenishing one’s energy. And they make your hands look massive. In other words, not great but still fit for purpose.
The spinach and cheese pastries, on the other hand, I highly recommend. These bite-sized morsels pack a punch and you’re sure to be going back for more.
On a crisp Sunday in Autumn I travelled with some friends to the 2019 Collector Village Pumpkin Festival. All manner of pumpkin and squash oriented goods were on offer — from soup to scones and even ice cream. But this is a pie blog!
Bryants Bakery Cafe of Goulburn had a stall and were selling a number of baked items, including the controversial inclusion of non-pumpkin options. I decided to take a break from my usual meat fare and obtained a hot, savoury pumpkin pie as well as a cold, sweet pumpkin pie (both $4).
The savoury pie was in a very solid casing and indeed it proved to be quite solid on eating. It was a pretty mediocre pastry effort that suggested something wrong with the recipe or perhaps the dough was overworked.
The filling was pumpkin with celery also recognisable. The flavour was subtle, not a particularly strong pumpkin flavour. Importantly the texture was quite good — smooth, not grainy. All in all, this was a quite yummy pie and warming on what was a cool day.
Now to dessert. This pie had a wonderful aroma of cinnamon and other spices. It was sweet and, indeed, spiced. The pumpkin filling was creamy and complemented by the subtly-sweet shortcrust pastry. In short: a tasty treat.
Once a year, Collector is flooded by Canberrans seeking pumpkin. I’m still not exactly sure why that is. Anyway, The pies were enjoyable enough, though I doubt I would seek them out sans the festival atmosphere.
On a Saturday, I took my first trip on the new Canberra Light Rail to the Capital Region Farmers Market. I set out to get over the disappointment of the last visit.
I suggested to my companion that we promptly make our way to the Gum Tree Pies stall. I’d previously had one of their pies (steak and red wine, as I recall) and enjoyed it greatly so I thought it was a safe bet. I went with the steak and mushroom pie, my companion opted for the creamy cauliflower pie (one of two vegetarian options). All pies are $6.50.
‘Steak and Mushroom Pie’ from Gum Tree Pies (Capital Region Farmers Market)
The pie was decent sized and sported a sliced mushroom on top, signifying part of its contents. The pastry was looked very nice, flaky and golden. Not pale but also not burnt-looking — what I want in a pie. The pie looked to have good structural integrity as well with no sogginess. My companion remarked on its pleasant aroma. Indeed, its aroma was so appealing that I was set-upon by a wasp and had to take evasive action.
But the flying fiend could not detract from the delight that was this pie! The pastry was crispy and flaky and worked well with the piping hot filling. The filling was comprised of chunks of steak and small, whole button mushrooms, both swimming in a rich brown gravy. The meat was tender and moist. The mushrooms were well-cooked too and added both in flavour and texture, being neither rubbery or mushy. The gravy was well-seasoned and smooth.
Interior of the Gum Tree Pies Steak and Mushroom Pie
I greatly enjoyed this pie and can’t find anything to fault (not that I set out to find anything to fault). It was a good size, looked great, smelled nice, was hot when I got to it, and most importantly it tasted delicious.
My companion enjoyed her cauliflower offering, noting that it was indeed ‘creamy’ as described.
Gum Tree Pies is based out of Yackandandah and has shopfronts there and in Bright. They also regularly attend the Capital Region Farmers Market at EPIC. I was once again impressed by their pies which are well-worth the $6.50 pricetag. They have a decent range of options, covering the fundamentals while branching out into some more adventurous directions. I highly recommend them and look forward to my next visit.
I rose early on a Saturday in April to make a visit to the Capital Region Farmers Market in search of pie. A Saturday morning pie is a guilty pleasure of mine, a way of getting the weekend off to the right start. What’s more, the market offers a selection of vendors from which to choose — such fun!
My companion and I settled upon the ‘Somebakers’ stall which had a range of pies, rolls, breads, and sweet baked goods. Google advises me that Somebakers also has a bakery in Fyshwick. I decided to go with the pepper steak pie ($6.50). My companion initially chose a mushroom and blue cheese pie but none appeared available and so she went for a spinach, ricotta, and potato roll.
‘Pepper Steak Pie’ from Somebakers (Capital Region Farmers Market)
This was a smallish pie, with a dark and intriguing exterior. I bit into the pastry and was met with a surprise: potato. As I continued, I was to find that large cubes of potato were throughout the pie. I later went back to the stall and confirmed that there was nothing in the description of the pie to note that it had potato in it. The potato was an uninvited guest. Even if I’d wanted the potato, the cubes were too big and some were noticeably undercooked.
Moving on from the potato, the pastry was fine. The meat and gravy was a bit peppery and had a distinct sweetness. The meat was all right though had a bit of a fibrous texture. Neither it nor the gravy were as rich as I’d like. The potato was too prominent and I fear had the effect of thickening and dulling the gravy.
Interior of the Somebakers Pepper Steak Pie
My companion said the spinach, ricotta, and potato roll was quite nice but lukewarm by the time she got to it. Potato was similarly over represented and in large cubes but it did feature an interesting herbal inflection, perhaps tarragon. It would have been ‘very compelling’ if hot.
The pie was a disappointment. The presence of potato was jarring and was not executed well. I don’t think I would have enjoyed this pie very much even had I known the potato was in it. It was lacking in both size and flavour at the price point. Tis a shame.
The Pie's the Limit 