What’s better than a home-made pie to warm you up in winter? A trip to the Southern Highlands Pie Time –that’s what! Pie Time 2018 is a celebration of pies throughout the Southern Highlands and includes pie themed activities, tours, events, festivals, and competitions during the month of June.

One of the great highlights of the month is the Pie Competition from 13 – 15 June, and this year, for the first time will include bakers from the Canberra region.  ACT bakers include Shane Hughes from SomeBakers in Fyshwick, who as well as pies also does great scrolls and the tastiest sausage rolls! Wayne Sewell from Uncle Juan’s Bakehouse will be competing with vegetarian, pork and fennel, and Thai chicken pies as well as their standard beef, lamb, and sausage rolls. Uncle Juan’s is based in Bowral but is a regular at the Capital Region Farmers Market on Saturday morning. Local Highlands’ pie makers include Polly’s Pies, Robertson Pie Shop, Stones Patisserie, and Gumnut Patisserie. You can also indulge in cooking classes from the experts!

And if the pies alone aren’t enough to tempt you, you can mix your pies with Pinot! A number of cool climate wineries are on board with some fantastic cellar door offers. Cherry Tree Hill Wines, at Sutton Forest, have partnered with Southern Rise Bakery and are offering a mouth-watering Beef and Burgundy Pie matched with a glass of Pinot Noir for only $15. Or you can take a Kombi or Jeep for a Pinot and Pie Discovery Tour to Artemis Wines for pie and pinot, then on to Gumnut Patisserie for dessert, and finish with a trip to Eden Brewery for a tasting session … all for only $130. To book contact Kombi Capers.

On the other hand you can truly indulge yourself with a 2018 Pie and Pinot Dinner hosted by Eschalot Restaurant with seven courses (that’s right—seven courses!) of various pies, matched with pinots from Cuttaway Hill Wines, and Tractorless Vineyard. This amazing degustation is only $150 and is on 2 June. Bookings are essential. Tractorless Vineyard is also hosting a Pie Bonfire on 9 June with a lighting of the fire at 5pm. You can join in the family fun by pre-ordering your degustation pie pack of four mini pies and four pinots for only $20, or a tasty burger for only $10.

If pies and pinots don’t take your fancy there are heaps of other family events to check out including:

Pie Fest at the Bong Bong Picnic Racecourse—showcasing market stalls, pie cooking demonstrations, children’s activities, family fun and loads more. On 23 and 24 June.

Dine with a Pie—for the entire month of June right across the Southern Highlands at hotels, cafés, restaurants, and cellar doors.

Pie Tours—right through June showcasing the region’s best pie outlets, at various locations with various forms of transport such as Kombis, army jeeps and troop carriers, Trikes, mini buses, taxis, limousines, and even push bikes.

Cooking Classes—explore the world of savoury and sweet pies with guest cooks Lisa and Norma McGill on Saturday 16 June. Heatherbrae’s Pies will also hold classes—check the Pie Time website for more information.

Paddock to Plate—visit the farm that makes the pies and indulge in a paddock to plate experience.

Pie & Beers—Southern Highlands Brewing and Taphouse grow their own hops at Sutton Forest and have developed crafted beers which are now available at the Taphouse in Moss Vale with some great offers during Pie Time. For every litre of Godfather Porter sold during June they will donate $1 to Cure Cancer Australia. Eden Brewery located in Mittagong has teamed up with awarded winning pie makers, Gumnut Patisserie, to create the Eden Pie consisting of their Eden Black Beer and Gumnut beef and pastry available on the menu throughout Pie Time.

For more information on all Pie Time events during June visit www.pietime.com.au