It would be difficult to calculate the number of meat pies eaten at sporting events in Australia….especially at AFL matches..

There is an eatery in my Blue Mountains village of Blackheath regarded as a bit of an institution when it comes to a meal in a pastry case.

The pies, $7.90 each, have been described by some as Australia’s best. They are hand made on the premises, using fresh, natural ingredients. Customers can choose from thirteen fillings, including Beef & Guiness; Beef, Bacon & Cheese; Lamb, Rosemary & Garlic, Kangaroo and Tomato Goulash, and Tandoori Chicken. The beef and guiness combination is a favorite of mine. I tried the kangaroo this week. It was a little salty for a low salt person like myself, but very tasty.

There is an unassuming eat- in area, but for the most sublime Blackheath pie experience it’s best to eat one whilst walking along Wentworth Street at the height of the village’s autumn colour. Yes, I know… you will have to wait until April/May for that pleasure!
Olive bread is another specialty of The Bakehouse. This is not surprising, because Blue Mountains chefs enjoy a unique advantage when it comes to bread making. As Delia Falconer wrote in her lyrical novel, The Service of Clouds (set in the Mountains): ‘She had read about this place; where kitchens were built at such high altitudes that the clouds drifted into bread through open windows and made it rise without the use of yeast.’
There is only one small hitch regarding the bakery. It’s situated directly opposite the medical clinic. Locals worry about their G.P. noticing the number of visits they make to pick up a pie and freshly baked bread.
A RIVAL UP THE ROAD!

The New Ivanhoe Hotel at the other end of village is also celebrated for its pies, especially the chicken and mushroom variety. $10 for a pie on its own with a pot of tea. Good flaky pastry and plenty of chicken chunks in the filling.

Ivanhoe beef……a little lacking in flavor perhaps.

Final sample in my trial was made by the Vietnamese couple at Blackheath Bakery and Patisserie. They only had variations of beef, and the pies are smaller than the others (football game size) but only $4 each. The one below is beef, tomato and cheese. It was VERY nice.


UPDATE – Strictly in the interests of impartiality I am planning a visit to Mountain High Pies, located on the Great Western Highway at Wentworth Falls. They have an intriguing Big Breakfast Pie, but it’s the menu of sweet pies and tarts that I’m really interested in; Apple and Custard Pie, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Tart and, best of all, Salted Caramel Meringue Tart. Oh dear me Wentworth Falls could usurp Blackheath as Pie Paradise!
And as I write, September 2019, they have won multiple prizes in the Great Aussie Pie Competition, among 1,500 entries.

I can’t resist this. Against all the odds, the Sydney AFL Giants ‘cooked’ Collingwood in the 2019 season.

A word of warning. Make sure you keep a good grip on your pie, or it might be snatched away by an Aussie vandal!

By the way, here is the real reason I moved to Blackheath from Sydney. haha. Escaping the ‘big smoke’.
I love the “Tourist Tuesday” idea and what a lovely photo 🙂
Xx
Thanks Vikki
Of course I will have to keep testing the pies now to make sure the high standard is being maintained! It’s amazing the lengths I am willing to go to for my readers.