By Rama Gaind.
“People who love to eat are always the best people.” – Julia Child
Robertson Pie Shop.
How often do you go on a short holiday break, but want to abstain from the frenzy of early morning starts, avoid joining long queues to enter an art gallery or museum, evade catching public transport or simply, refrain, from going sightseeing?
If that’s the case, sometimes, then look to another avenue and – travel through food. In this instance, it’s about pies. When going on a journey, it’s about nourishment, being carefree, enjoyment and it’s also an opportunity to ‘meet the locals’. It’s life filled with enthusiasm, at its most uncomplicated, and its most invigorating.
As Laurie Hales Anderson said: “Pie makes everybody happy.”
Pie is seasonal bliss for the best kind of celebrations. There are times when eating a “pie makes everybody happy” – and one such time will be next month. In fact, there will be 30 days and hundreds of ways to enjoy pies!
The Southern Highlands of NSW, renamed the Southern Pielands for the month of June, is bringing together a bounty of new ingredients and baking an even tastier pie recipe for Pie Time 2021.
The Old Bank Boutique Hotel.
This month-long celebration of Australia’s most iconic food is the perfect opportunity for domestic holidaymakers to come to the Southern Highlands and rediscover one of the country’s greatest tourism destinations, conveniently located just two hours from Sydney.
Pie encourages creativity, gets you to eat fruit or vegetables and there are sweet options for those who prefer sugary fillings. The humble meat pie defines Australia and it’s one of Australia’s most iconic foods. For many, this pie obsession will happily thrive into adulthood.
Pie Time 2021 – out of the oven and onto the plate – is a series of mouth-watering pie-themed events, tours and activities. Why not take the pie drive through the towns and villages to discover a bounty of new ingredients and baked delights from 1-30 June this year.
Pie trail
The choices are endless – and it’s not all about meat pies. The pie trail offers options like pies & pinot, sweety pie & bubbles, pie on a plate, pie-themed special events, pie tours & pie-cycle tours, pie teas and even hero teas.
Wine and pie.
Tantalise the tastebuds as you drive through Berrima, Bowral, Sutton Forest, Knights Hill, Robertson, Balaclava, Moss Vale. You will not be disappointed as you savour the pies, some traditional and some that are a bit more inventive.
According to Group Manager Tourism and Economic Development, Destination Southern Highlands Steve Rosa, “after the success of ‘Pie Time in Pie-solation’ last year, we’ve been baking all our ideas for 2021 and it’s exciting to be so close to pulling them out of the oven”.
“With domestic tourism back on the table, we’re encouraging Australians to come back to our region and rediscover their favourite pie makers and bakers. We have hundreds of activities and activations stuffed into a 30-day celebration of the great Australian pie,” Steve said.
“After the twelve months we’ve had, we’re reuniting Aussies with a good old Aussie pie. Australians will be holidaying here more than ever this year, let’s look at our local bakers, makers and artisan creators who make the most mouth-watering pies in the land.”
Cherry Tree Hill.
“The Great Southern Highlands Pie Drive is a self-drive itinerary for visitors to spend one or two days in the Southern Highlands while enjoying some of our nation’s best pies along the way. In fact, local favourites Gumnut Patisserie just took out the prestigious Royal Easter Show President’s Medal which is widely considered as Australia’s premier food award.”
Australia’s Pie Minister and Ambassador for Pie Time, Robert ‘Dipper’ DiPierdomenico, has also been re-elected. “Dipper was fantastic last year and we believe he will be the perfect spokesperson for Australia’s National Pie Day and Pie Time 2021.”
The region will be celebrating Australia’s National Pie Day on the first day of winter, Tuesday 1 June, after launching this new national day last year to encourage Australians around the nation to celebrate the humble pie.
As well as many returning favourites, Pie Time 2021 will see some new and exciting events added to the line-up including The Great Southern Highlands Pie Drive.
Can’t wait … as Australia’s home of pies returns tasty and piping hot in June 2021!
Give thanks or keep calm and eat pie … whatever you decide … be thankful.
As David Memet says: “We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.”
DETAILS BOX
Pie Time 2021
1-30 June 2021
NSW Southern Highlands
