The dynamic duo of Anne-Maree Hagge and Leanne Phillipson are celebrating 13 years in business together in 2013. From humble beginnings, the landmark Bindoon Bakehaus has become a focal point for the community, and its buzzing vibe offers a haven for locals and travellers alike.
Hospitality can be a tricky way make a crust – particularly in the country, and it is surely Anne-Maree and Leanne’s commitment to innovation and ability to evolve with the times that has kept the dough rolling in.
This evolution has seen the product lines at the Bakehaus rise from a starting number of around 20, to the 220 available now. The current menu includes; delicate pastries, a range of breads, food to go, and of course an impressive range of pies – the bakery producing between 2500 and 3000 per week depending on the season.
Straight out of the creative hot pot are two new pies with a distinctively Bindoon flavour. The Beef Bourguignon; a truly local interpretation of the French classic, uses slow-cooked Mogumber beef, and with Bindoon Estate Cabernet Merlot. To complement, the sumptuous chicken, mushroom and leek pie is enhanced with a dash of the delicious Bindoon Estate Chardonnay. French-trained pastry chef Anne-Maree tasted the locally produced wines at a recent Chamber of Commerce Sundowner and was inspired to use them when extending her range of gourmet pies.
Either one makes a perfect winter treat and have been sell-out items on the Bakehaus’s menu since being introduced just a few weeks ago. According to Leanne, “The two pies have been very popular with customers right from the first day, so we know we’re on to a winner.”
With Anne-Maree busy stirring the pot in the kitchen, the front of house is Leanne’s domain, and her dedication to customer service and commitment to good coffee are integral to the success of the business. In true Yin and Yang style, the business has benefitted from their complementary talents, and their jovial sparring keeps them attuned to constant improvement whilst their energetic sense of fun keeps the vibe of the Bakehaus pumping.
On the sweet side, another recent creation from Anne- Maree’s kitchen is the delicately decadent ‘BB-Nut’. Sure to capture the heart of those who pay lip service to cholesterol.
It is inspired by the Cronut, a half croissant- half doughnut pastry hybrid created by New Yorker Dominique Ansel, which is taking the world by storm. Bakers in Australia have followed suit with their versions of Ansel’s creation, but a trademark on the Cronut name means there is MoVida Bakery’s Dossant in Melbourne and Adriano “Macaron King” Zumbo’s Zonut in Sydney.
In the Northern Valleys, we have the BB Nut, and if global demand for the Cronut is anything to go by there’ll be people travelling for miles to taste this latest innovation on the menu – best enjoyed inhouse, with a delicious cup of Bindoon Bakehaus coffee.
