Now B and I basically ate 3 meals a day while we were honeymooning. Every dinner included appetizers and dessert. Every.single.one.
Sometimes our lunches included appetizers and dessert.
But if you were to tell me I had to pick just one place to eat, in all of New Zealand, it may very well be Paetiki Bakery.
Its not even a restaurant. They aren't even open for dinner. But I would go in the morning and stock up for the day if I needed to.
Its the best bakery in the entire world as far as I'm concerned because it has my new favorite food ever.
The Meat Pie.
Although we did have another fantastic meat pie in Te Anau this particular bakery wins the title. Not only are their meat pies perfection but their selection is incredible.
What is a meat pie? Well its a pie with meat.
It sort of looks like a pot pie but you use your hands to eat it. The crust is neither too flakey nor too chewy. Its perfection and it doesn't crumble as you bite it.
Inside the crust is basically meat and gravy (although I did see some tempting vegetarian ones).
They run about $3.50 NZD which is about $2.40 in the U.S.
You really can't beat that. A normal person would only need one. But by the end of the trip I could easily polish off two and a drink. Its true.
I chose both of the following pies because B bought his own assortment of baked goods. I couldn't decide so I got them both. I didn't eat them all by myself though.
I'm just sayin'.
This is the steak and cheese. I was taking a peak at it in the car.
B told me I was crazy because I couldn't wait until we got drove the 2 minutes to the lake.
Can we just take a moment to admire that crust?
Oh meat pie, I miss you more each day.
This one was totally different from the other pies I sampled in New Zealand.
I think its safe to say I had at least 1 every other day. At least.
Can you guess what that filling is?
Camembert. The whole pie is filled with melted camembert. On the bottom is a layer of cranberry and somewhere are a few chunks of chicken.
Thats a lot of cheese. You could serve it as an appetizer. I swear there is way more than $2.50 worth of cheese in that thing.
Someone please tell me they have a recipe for meat pies. I've heard the top and bottom are actually 2 different kinds of crust.
Without them, my life will never be complete again.
Anyone?
Did you say that the whole pie was filled with melted Camembert?!
ReplyDeleteYou are not only making my mouth water at the thought of that, but now I have to have some cheese --and I just finished dinner!!
This is all the bakeries sell in my area! A delicacy in our town is butter pie - which is basically sliced buttered potato in a pie. Carb high but really amazing. Incidently, soon I'm going to meet with a local old lady and get her to teach me how to make pies - she's bound to know how to do this kind!
ReplyDeleteLook at that crust! I(slurp) actually salivating for a meat pie at 6:49 in the AM. Maybe our next vacation will be to stay at Paetiki. Do you think they have a room with a view?
ReplyDeleteI CAN NOT believe that your little body would hold 2 pies! LOL
ReplyDeleteThey look delish and the crust is beautiful.
Oh, wow! Those looked awesome!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness that looked good. You are so funny. I just love your love for food. It's a big deal to you. You should have a food network show or something and get to travel the world eating various meat pies. That would be heaven:)
ReplyDeleteCan't believe you only gained 4 pounds. I would gain that much just looking at that cheesy pie!!
okay so I think the top looks like puff pastry it bakes differently when on a dense filling..
ReplyDeleteOkay now excuse me while I flip out and stare in wonderment at the injustice, that you got to eat a block of camembert without me. I seriously want to go investigate meet pie recipes.....
as always thanks for sharing your food adventure!
I wish I did; that cheese pie looks amazingly good.
ReplyDeleteDrool...to all of that...seriously
ReplyDeleteWait. A pie filled with cheese? Oh heavens... I adore cheese. I don't trust people who don't like cheese. I think to myself, "Have you even TRIED cheese???" :)
ReplyDeleteoh girl, now I would go for the vegetarian one, that crust look so yummie! They sell meat pies in England too, that is a very english food...minced meat I think is what they call it...I never ate one. I love that you love food so much, it makes me smile!
ReplyDeleteOh my god, you are making me so hungry right now. Those look amazingggg.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of meat pies before--but never have seen them. Now from your photos I can tell why people love them so much!! They look utterly fantastic!! YUM!
ReplyDeleteI take it these were the Puerto Rican meat pies that I grew up eating? :)
ReplyDelete~ingrid
Ooops, I meant weren't, these weren't the meat pies. I'm an idiot typist.
ReplyDelete~ingrid
Nice Pies. Mention Jodan's name (location: Sydney) and get a family discount.
ReplyDeleteWow I am so amazed at the comments etc on here about the Paetiki Bakery and there famous pies :) Ohhh yes they are definitely famous as I would know personally... I worked there for many years the most awesome bosses miss them too bits and you are so right it is 2 different pastries which I would not comment on. You can say they do have the best pastry and fillings for there pies ever I have not found any other bakery who would ever come close to even being anywhere near the same as the Paetiki bakery Or shall I say Lams Pies :)
ReplyDelete