Angkor Wat's gold veg pie creates smiles

YUMMY: Hawke's Bay Today Communities editor Rachel Wise tries an award winning pie from Angkor Wat in Hawke's Bay. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR

On Tuesday night Waipukurau's Angkor Wat Bakery won gold for its vegetarian pie. Rachel Wise gives it the taste test.

Some days it's hard being a reporter. Just yesterday I had to sample the gold medal winning vegetarian pie made by Hawke's Bay's Angkor Wat Bakery.

The hardest part was fighting off the rest of the staff. When they heard the award winning pastry was in the building they flocked around my desk, sniffing the air, all wanting to know what was "gold" about Angkor Wat's latest winner.

Well the pastry was gold ... golden and crisp, substantial without being stodgy.

It's a meal-sized pie, deep and wide, not a pie to yield all its secrets in the first bite.

Bite one took in pastry and gravy ... a thick and creamy white sauce redolent of peppery, salty, savoury onion.

Bite two revealed broccoli and carrot, cooked until just the soft side of firm, preserving the colour, taste and texture of the individual veg.

The pastry flakes but stays intact in hand, no collapsing pie here, no runny gravy dribbles.

It's savoury and full-flavoured and while I had worried, mince and cheese fan that I am, that I'd find it lacking ... this pie delivered on all levels.

Angkor Wat is no stranger to pie awards and this is another well deserved win, from its traditional look to the feeling of satisfaction and the smile it leaves on the face of the consumer. Nice work.

Are you a fan of Angkor Wat's pies? Got another favourite? Share with other readers by leaving a comment below.