The question is often pondered in Australia, what is our most celebrated food?
Melissa Hudak says it may well be the humble “snot block”.
“I think vanilla slice has become iconic in Australia, up there with the lamington or the meat pie,” she says.
Melissa and her husband Michael own and operate Hudak’s Bakery, which has taken out the top honour at the 2013 Merbein Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph.
The Mildura business won the top two sections after placing second in both last year.
Hudak’s Bakery joins a prestigious list of competition winners. Photo: Reproduced courtesy of Sunraysia Daily – Mildura, www.sunraysiadaily.com.au
Melissa says it’s been a long road to the top.
“The bakery was started in 1947 by Michael’s grandfather, John Hudak,” she says.
“From there it’s evolved from your typical hot bread shop to the three bakery/cafe style shops we have now.
“We’ve entered the competition since it started 16 years ago and each year after the competition we’ve talked to the judges and they’ve given us insight on what they’re looking for.”
Melissa says vanilla slice making is a difficult art.
“There’s a lot of work that goes into getting the right custard flavour and consistency, the right tackiness in the fondant, and the pastry being crisp,” she says.
“The key is really down to quality ingredients and having everything come together on the day.
“Last year we were a bit pushed for time but this year we’ve had everything come together beautifully.”
Australia’s best vanilla slice. Photo: Bernadette Wells
Melissa says winning the competition will be invaluable for the business.
“We now have Australia’s best vanilla slice, which is a big boost for our business and also for Mildura,” she says.
“People love an award-winning product so I think we’re going to have a lot of people coming in specifically for the vanilla slice.”
The competition moved to Merbein after 2011 when Ouyen, which had hosted it for 14 years, couldn’t find the volunteers to run it.
Competition publicity officer Bernadette Wells says Merbein was eager to be the competition’s new home.
“The region had just gone through a depressed time with the drought and it was decided that this event would be a great way to lift spirits in the town,” she says.
“This has certainly been the case, with a crowd of more than 11,000 this year, compared to the town’s population of 2,500.”
Bernadette says Merbein has worked on building the competition’s reputation.
“The judges don’t have a clue whose vanilla slices they are judging and this integrity is important to maintain the reputation of the competition,” she says.
“Bakeries that have won in the past have had their whole businesses turned around because this has become a very highly regarded competition.
“The judges said the standard of competition was excellent this year and that it was very hard to judge a winner.”
Bernadette agrees with Melissa that despite its purported French origins, the vanilla slice is becoming quintessentially Australian.
“I think vanilla slice might have originated in France but in Australia it is becoming an iconic food that bakeries are making and people are eating Australia-wide,” she says.
Melissa says Hudak’s Bakery will be more motivated than ever to win next year.
“We’ll be back next year to try to defend our title now that the pressure’s on,” she says.
City Journal took to the streets of Melbourne to ask: What do you love about vanilla slice?
