Hogues Hot Bread
After leaving Brunswick Heads, we continued our journey further south locking in 3 days at the stunning coastal town of Iluka. Iluka is located on the north coast of NSW and on the northern side of the river to Yamba. The water ways are beautiful and if you love you fishing well this place is for you.
During our stay here, I was booked in to do a live cross to the Sunrise morning program, so I left the location of the shoot up to the producers and cameraman. After much discussion they made a decision and that was Hogue’s HOT BREAD.
Situated in the Main Street opposite the post office, this is where I met owner Boe. He’s like your classic cricketing allrounder !!!! He’s done a bit of everything during his time in the workforce. Just over 15 months ago the opportunity came up to own and operate his own bakery and he jumped in head first.
Employing 7 staff and open Monday to Saturday, this is your classic small town bakery. Like most communities along this northern coastline COVID caused havoc with small businesses. The tourists and grey nomads who previously visited the area in their droves were no longer visiting. Boe’s start to operating his own joint suddenly became difficult, but he powered through to the other side. One thing that grabbed me when I was walked in was the staff shirts (uniforms) All the crew are wearing your classic long sleeve fishing shirts and they looked epic. With the cameraman set up ready to go, it was time to check out the warmer and choose a 🥧.
This weeks 🥧 of choice was a little bit left field for me. I had my eye on the golden potato top looking creation Boe calls the “Bushman” the color of this thing looked incredible.
🥧THE REVIEW 🥧
1. Value for Money – $5.50 was superb value. This 🥧 was heavy and loaded right up. Yes there was more egg and potato in this 🥧 than meat, but overall If you paid $5.50 for this 🥧 you’d be pretty happy. 9/10
2. Meat Ratio – Loaded up !!! Take a look at the pics, this 🥧 was completely full. 10/10
3. Meat Flavour – Very Good !!! Potato heaps as well !!! Special herbs, chunky steak, onion, carrot, egg, bacon and cheese. For me the herbs on the potato was beautiful. This 🥧 had a bit of everything. 8/10
4. Pastry – Shape ✅, Color was ok, the bottom bake could have been little darker. The side bake was perfect, but the photos (zoom in) will indicate that the bottom bake was slightly undercooked. This 🥧 was quite a heavy and didn’t move one bit, stability was perfect. So if your a tradie on the run you gunna like this one. 8/10
5. Serving Temperature – Could have been little warmer, but overall this wasn’t too bad. Once again the serving temperature is a personal choice, for me I like them a little warmer. 8.5/10
Overall Rating
🥧🥧🥧 43.5/50 🥧🥧🥧🥧
This “Bushman’s” 🥧 was a cross between your classic potato and breakfast 🥧 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The special herbs on the top of the potato just gave that little bit of extra flavor it needed. It was quite a generous size for the $5.50 prize tag. Once again like many 🥧‘s I’ve reviewed recently the base was slightly undercooked. It’s a fine line and a difficult job the bakers have to make the perfect 🥧, particularly getting the pastry right. I’m so glad I tried this flavored 🥧. It’s not normally something I’d go for but it hit the spot.
This bakery is a little cracker, yes it’s tiny, but in certainly does the job. Everything food item you’d want your bakery to sell his here. I’ve gotta plug the bread that Boe bakes, the loaf we took away with us was exceptional. One of the nicest loaves we’ve had for a long time.
Boe you bloody legend, thanks for allowing one, for me to share your story and two the inconvenience of the camera crew taking over your place of work for a few hours. Like many bakeries I visit your the only baker in the joint and the hours you work is crazy. What you have done in your 15 months in this bakery is amazing mate and very well deserved.
A huge thanks to locals at Iluka for their hospitality especially the team at the Iluka Riverside Holiday Park. We had a incredible site on the water and the park is 100% worth the stay. Iluka like many of these coastal towns is quite small and laid back, but it’s a place we would defiantly visit again.
