The supreme award winning venison, mushroom, bacon and cheese pie from Taupo's Fast & Fresh Bakery. Photo/Supplied
The supreme award winning venison, mushroom, bacon and cheese pie from Taupo's Fast & Fresh Bakery. Photo/Supplied
A venison, mushroom, bacon and cheese pie from Taupo proved the perfect combination of flavours for judges voting it the 2017 NZ Bakels Supreme Pie Award winner in Auckland tonight.
Baked by Lee Ing of Taupo's Fast & Fresh Bakery, the supreme pie came out on top of 5696 entries during judging last week.
Rotorua's Better Quality Pies also received a Highly Commended for their Rhubarb, Apple & Lime pie in the Gourmet Fruit category.
NZ Bakels managing director Brent Kersel said the supreme winning pie first caught their attention when it won gold in the Gourmet Meat category before going onto the final judging stage.
"It looked great out of the oven, pastry rich and golden with the filling venison, mushroom, bacon and cheese combining well together. The venison had great flavour and texture," he said.
This year's celebrity chef judge, Sean Connolly said cooking venison in a pie to where the end result was so moist and succulent demonstrated a high level of culinary skills.
"The flavours worked together to just melt in the mouth with a perfect pastry casing."
Mr Ing bought Fast & Fresh Bakery 14 months ago after working in the bakery for two years learning all he now knows about making pies from the previous owner.
Born in Cambodia, he came to New Zealand 12 years ago to start a new life and discovered he had a natural flair for baking when he was working in Tun Bakery in Taranaki.
Asked about his favourite part of baking he said he liked everything and I liked learning different skills.
"I can't believe I won an award, I didn't expect that," he said.
Mr Kersel said entries this year, the 21st year of the competition, were up by 10 percent with the two largest categories Mince & Cheese and Steak & Cheese, going head-to-head with 417 pies in each category, leaving judges the enormous task of finding bronze, silver and gold award winners amongst them.
In the Gourmet Meat category flavours and pastry styles kept judging fresh and interesting with breakfast pies filled with the likes of spaghetti, bacon, onion and even potato nuggets through to a goat vindaloo pie, a seafood pie with octopus, and a lamb cheeks with vegetables, herbs and anchovies pie.
Judging of the winning pie. Photo/Supplied
The Vegetarian category was filled with vibrantly filled pies and new ingredients including yams, swede, and sugar snap peas. Wholemeal and spelt pastries were emerging in this category, while gluten free pastry was growing in popularity in the Café Boutique category.
"A number of entries this year have used their imagination and flare to make the finished product look different and exciting," said Mr Kersel.
"Everyone started talking about the 'kiwi' pie when its box was opened. The pie top featured a kiwi with koru patterns made out of poppy seeds. The pastry was even moulded into fern leaves!
"In the Gourmet Fruit category the presentation of the pies was stunning. One pie, a pineapple, lime and coconut creation actually looked like a slice of pineapple."
NZ Bakels originally launched the Supreme Pie Awards in 1996 to improve the quality of pies and pastry.
"Year-on-year the Awards have successfully achieved that and continue to lift the bar to a level we never imaged. New Zealand consumers now know what a quality pie looks and tastes like so if a bakery is to succeed their standard needs to be high.
"We congratulate Fast & Fresh Bakery of Taupo and we invite pie lovers to go and taste the best pie in New Zealand at their bakery," Mr Kersel said.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
MINCE & GRAVY:
Gold Award- Lee Ung, Crown Bakery & Coffee, Pukekohe Silver Award- Michael Kuoy, Counties Bakery, Pukekohe Bronze Award - Vouch Leang Chea, Richoux Patisserie, Auckland Highly Commended- Roger Cathro, Pak n Save, Petone
Gold Award -Jason Hay, Richoux Patisserie, Takapuna Silver Award- Lee Ung, Crown Bakery & Coffee, Pukekohe Bronze Award- Shuly Ngann, Le Royal Bakery, Auckland Highly Commended- Roger Cathro,Pak n Save Petone, Petone
STEAK & CHEESE:
Gold Award- Bunhour (Vic) Luon, Waihi Bakery Vic and Phida Ltd, Waihi Silver Award- Roger Cathro, Pak n Save Petone, Petone Bronze Award- Jason Hay, Richoux Patisserie, Takapuna Highly Commended- Savanchamnap Ly, Target Bakehouse & Café, Pukekohe
