Doo Doo’s Bakery in Bailieboro, Quaker Oaks Farm in Sebright, Ste. Anne’s Bakery in Grafton, Baked4U in Peterborough, and Kawartha Shortbread in Fenelon Falls took the top honours at the 5th annual Butter Tart Taste-Off, held on Saturday (September 23) at the Peterborough Farmers’ Market in the Morrow Building.
Doo Doo’s Bakery took first place for the best plain butter tart, Quaker Oaks Farm for the best Canadiana butter tart, Ste. Anne’s Bakery for the best gluten-free butter tart, Baked4U for the best emerging baker, and Kawartha Shortbread for “best of the best”.
The Butter Tart Taste-Off was organized by the Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour, Ontario’s largest food tour dedicated to butter tarts with more than 50 participating bakeries, restaurants, cafés, and resorts located across Kawarthas Northumberland. The tour operates year-round and is self-guided, allowing visitors to explore the region at their own pace.
Bakeries in the Taste-Off competed in five different categories, with judges including local media personalities, culinary bloggers, politicians, and several judges chosen randomly from contests in the Butter Tart Tour social media community.
Food Network Canada chef David Adjey returned as a butter tart judge this year, and he also hosted an Iron-Chef-Style sous-chef show-down designed to discover the next great culinary talent from the region. The contestants were challenged to use local ingredients from the farmers’ market.
The sous-chefs from The Publican House in Peterborough and Ste. Anne’s Spa in Grafton tied for the win. The trophy will be shared, living at The Publican House for the first six months, and then at Ste. Anne’s Spa for the next six months.
Backstage getting new #canadiana #collection ready for judges! #buttertarttour #tasteoff #ptbo @OntarioCulinary these put the #art in #tart pic.twitter.com/KrWWz6OrQU
— Kawarthas Nrthmbrlnd (@perfectwknds) September 23, 2017
“We are delighted with this year’s Butter Tart Taste-Off”, says Brenda Wood, Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour Executive Director. “It was a great celebration of local food and local talent. It’s a real testament to how much Canadians love butter tarts and locally made, locally sourced culinary experiences.”
Here’s a list of all the winners at this year’s Butter Tart Taste-Off:
Best Plain Butter Tart
- 1st: Doo Doo’s Bakery in Bailieboro
- 2nd: Country Mart Homemade Baked Goods and Convenience in Buckhorn
- 3rd: Betty’s Pies & Tarts in Cobourg
Best Canadiana Collection Butter Tart
Featuring tarts from the new Canadiana Collection celebrating Canada’s 150th.
- 1st: “Mrs. Waldron’s Butter Tart” by Quaker Oaks Farm in Sebright
- 2nd: “The Trudeau” by Baked4U in Peterborough
- 3rd: The Stompin Tom by Doo Doo’s Bakery in Bailieboro
Best Gluten-Free Butter Tart
- 1st: Ste. Anne’s Butter Tart by Ste. Anne’s Bakery in Grafton
- 2nd: Featherly Pear Butter Tart by Ste. Anne’s Bakery in Grafton
- 3rd: Maple gluten-free butter tart by Black Honey Dessert and Coffeehouse in Peterborough
Best Emerging Baker
For bakers who joined the tour in the last two years.
- 1st: Pumpkin Butter Tart by Baked4U in Peterborough
- 2nd: Maple Butter Tart by The Bakery Warkworth
- 3rd: Maple Crunch by Arthur’s Pub in Cobourg.
Best of the Best
A delicious duel between past winners at the Taste-Off.
- 1st: Maple Pecan by Kawartha Shortbread in Fenelon Falls
- 2nd: Maple Butter Tart by Black Honey Dessert and Coffeehouse in Peterborough
- 3rd: Pumpkin Butter Tart by Doo Doo’s Bakery in Bailieboro
An estimated 5,200 people attended the Butter Tart Taste-Off. In addition to the judging, many varieties of butter tarts were available to purchase.
For more information about the Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour, visit www.buttertarttour.ca.
