This past Sunday, we had the honour of hosting our 4th Annual Peach Pie Competition to showcase some incredibly talented local bakers in their element – the height of fresh fruit season in the valley! Using Lepp’s Okanagan Orchard Peaches, each contestant was tasked with impressing our panel of judges in 4 major ways. With their presentation, pie filling, crust quality, and creativity.
But aren’t creativity and presentation the same thing?
Not quite. See, our judges sat down on Sunday to eat a total of 19 Peach Pies, and despite some common threads, no two pies were alike. Each pie had it’s own distinct flavour, created by each baker’s unique set of thoughtfully selected ingredients. This is precisely where each baker’s creativity had a chance to shine.
Some added whiskey & cinnamon, topping their pie with brown sugar & pecan streusel. Others opted for blending in tropical flavours, like a touch of mango, or a coconut cream. And then there were the sweetly subtle flavours, like lavender, maple, nutmeg or vanilla.
But let’s not forget the winning pies! Here’s a little more about them!
In 3rd Place, Peach Blueberry Love baked by Cathy Preibisch
The delightful golden pastry shell is the perfect home for Lepp’s juicy peaches and hand-picked organic blueberries from Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm. Every luscious bite will have you falling in love with this pie!
In 2nd Place, “You’re a Peach” baked by Kelsey Siemens, aka The Farmer’s Daughter
The simple lattice topped pie lets the peaches shine, with a hint of cinnamon and freshly minced ginger.
In 1st Place, Peach Raspberry Pie baked by Trudy Cowe
Peach Raspberry Pie
In honour of Canada’s 150 Birthday, I have baked a tribute to our country with the maple leaf design on the crust. BC Peaches and raspberries are the stars in the filling as we celebrate goodness grown in our own Canadian soil! I have been baking pies for well over 50 years for my family and friends with a pastry recipe passed down to me and now to my daughter and grand daughter. I hope you enjoy it, too!
