On July 18th 2009, I was drawn into the rustic baked goods world of the Hominy Bakery and it became my favourite bakery in NSW.
The baked goods are always heavily spiced and rich in buttery goodness. However, what is most alluring is they have a very hom(iny)e made quality about them.
However, when I was lucky to commence work in Katoomba in 2010. I had to re evaluate my opinion of the Hominy and admit that their food, just like real home made food is often hit and miss.
I love their Brown Rice, Soy Sauce and Mushroom Pie. A genius vegetarian pie with glorious buttery possibly lard pastry. However, over the years as the staff have got actually friendly and as well younger the filling on ALL occasions has become clucky and overcooked.
The Lentil and Vegetable Sesame Pie concoction is flavoured with liberal amounts of Chinese spice and rustic vegetables . However, on occasions the mixture has been overcooked with huge chunks of carrot in it.
I do not eat meat, but every time I have obtained one of their meat pies for my colleagues they have remarked the same thing - excellent pastry but filling is dry. In the end I had to get their meat pies from the Buttery Bakery to avoid the embarrassment.
The Pumpkin Soughdough is sensational and when I obtain one I hug it close to me like a mother would a child . Be warned it is only sold on a certain day, as they do sour dough days. A brutal but genius idea.
The Fruit Sourdough has a weird caraway spice addition, which just doesn't work. It's just plain weird.
Their sandwiches are fantastic! They are something you would expect your wife or mother to make...had they grown up in the 1950's Paris or Italy. The Hominy use what seems like( and possibly could be) last night left overs and fragrant spices to create a taste sensation in my mouth. The only criticism is on occasion their has been large chicken bones or heaps of cooked chicken fat on the sandwich.
The Pizza is a marvellous rectangle of a simple tomato sauce with basil and cheese. The best things in food are kept simple.
The stand out dessert is the seasonal turnovers: almond and rhubarb, cumquat turnovers (my favourite), almond and quince or almond and mulberry . Words cannot express how good these little things are, but the most important thing to know is these little turnovers cannot be improved upon. Unless they started dusted them with cinnamon or vanilla sugar.
The Pear and Ginger Cake is good as in homemade good. In truth anyone can make a spiced (cardamom, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon)upside down pear caramel cake at home. I found this one a little dry and was starting to wonder if the owners of the Hominy had Italian heritage.
The chocolate chunk cookies are a disappointingly VERY DRY cookie. I just really want to get in their kitchen and tell them to add more butter or at least start labelling them as Italian cookies.
The last point to note is staff. When I wondered into the bakery to celebrate my Mum's birthday - the bakery was empty . My mother who loves to chat asked about what sought of pies they had and was told to look at the sign. Silence ensued. The ice queen like service continued for the next 3 years where the staff refused to talk about the products. They simple packed the products and took your money. No hello or goodbyes were exchanged.
The female co-owner has a little bit of food superiority and didn't expect a 25 year old to know what mulberries were or to hear that I had THREE mulberry trees in my back yard.
But the positive note is that the service has improved and the staff are much more friendly now.
Along with the Buttery, the Hominy is the must visit bakery in Katoomba. I love you still, despite your occasional hiccups and distant memory of rudeness . read more