The sweet smell of freshly baked blueberry muffins, delicately flaked sausage rolls, and rum soaked raisins, filled our major branches for this year’s Biggest Morning Tea.
Australia’s biggest Morning Tea is celebrated Annually, around the 27 May, and is a community event which aims to raise funds to make a difference for people impacted by cancer. Events are hosted by individuals or businesses and all funds go directly to the Cancer Council, to support their initiatives.
The Cancer Council funds a large body of research, prevention, and support initiatives. They are the largest non-government funder of cancer research in Australia. In 2019 alone, the Cancer Council funded 724 researches across 345 projects and 53 institutions. Their preventative programs, like the SunSmart Schools program, work to encourage and empower Australians to make healthier lifestyle choices.
In 2019 the Cancer Council also provided over 100,000 nights of subsidized accommodation, offering a ‘home away from home’ for those that were required to travel long distances to receive treatment.
NPT is no stranger to hosting for this worthy cause. This year we set up morning tea tables at our three major metropolitan Melbourne branches.
We filled our teacups and our bellies, and dipped into our pocket’s to raise $803.90. NPT committed to matching this year’s raised funds which will bring our grand total to $1,607.80.
Although we didn’t officially judge or vote on our top bakers of the day, there were some stand outs and some budding master bakers. Andrew Crome arrived on his day off, with a batch of meticulously shaped and deliciously coconutty Jamaican Gizzadas, which he baked under strict instruction. Rick Warry brought one of two of the most delightfully spiced and perfectly textured carrot cakes. The other of which was baked by Rod Postlethwaite, whose array of fine delicacies literally blew our minds!
A little more about our top chef Rodney Postlethwaite’s journey to culinary mastery
Rod Postlethwaite grew up near the town of Saint Arnaud, in the central Victoria’s Wimmera region. Rod gained his culinary stripes helping his mother cook for the men who serviced their property during the shearing season. Rod helped his mother to cook up feeds for up to half a dozen hungry shearers at a time.
Rod also derives many of his recipes from the tried and tested Country Women’s Association cookbook.
Rod arrived on the morning of our Biggest Morning Tea, after a long night of baking and a few last-minute trips to the shop for extra cream cheese, with more Tupperware containers than one man could carry. After filling almost an entire trestle table himself, with baked goodies, Rod returned with three large boxes. He then began to unwrap the most elegantly flamboyant and ‘beautiful lady,’ his three-tiered serving stand, who was perfectly attired to match and be plated with his fine assortment of dishes.
Rod plated his double layered carrot cake, chocolate brownies, and cornflake apricot and raisin cookies. He also revealed the first cheesecake he had ever baked, cherry flavored with a sticky glaze. Before joining us for a quick cup of tea, Rod returned with a batch of sausage rolls to round out his grand contribution to the day’s feast.
As well as being one of our favourite master bakers, we know that Rod has been considering entering the baking contest at this year’s Royal Melbourne Show. We are sure that if he does, the judges will be as impressed by his culinary skills as we are.
