Pie-tasting expert Steve Rosa, creator of the award-winning Southern Pie-Lands tourist trail, headed down the escarpment to the Gong on Tuesday to enjoy a special treat.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Destination Southern Highlands' tourism and economic development manager was on a mission to taste-test the new "Highlands Pie" made from all local produce by Ryan Aitchison and the team at The Illawarra hotel.
Mr Aitchison and the crew in the commercial kitchen at The Illawarra have been trialling different ingredients for a couple of weeks before settling on their new all-local signature dish.
After feedback from customers and staff, The Illawarra produced the final version of the Highlands Pie this week as part of the independently-owned hotel's "Go Local" initiative.
The final result was given the thumbs up by Mr Rosa whose own team is nationally recognised in the tourism industry for its annual Pie Time festival.
Mr Rosa wasn't surprised how great the Highlands Pie tasted, with ingredients such as beef from Maugers Meats at Moss Vale, truffles from Robertson Truffles, mushrooms from Li-Sun Exotic Mushrooms at Mittagong, wine from Dawning Day Farms at Exeter and carrots and potatoes from other local producers.
Mike Archer, of Dawning Day Farms, described the approach being taken by The Illawarra as fantastic.
"Ryan and Nikki have really stepped up here and put a focus on local producers first and in the process have raised the bar in terms of quality," he said.
Mr Aitchison visited all the producers so he could educate his staff and patrons about their businesses.
Read more:
- An Illawarra pub focused on local spirits and food, and surprise - sales went up
- Wollongong's most iconic restaurant The Charcoal Tavern reopens soon on the original site in the new 21-storey Signature Wollongong
- When COVID-19 forced one family business to close they made 5000 meals for the homeless and those in need
- Looking back on 50 years of memories as Australia says thank you to the Queen of the Skies
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.
Sign up for our newsletters for the latest news