Organic Free Range Pork Steamed Bun - Wheelers Hill Market

Post 'bachelor night' catch up with my bao blogger bro - I awake on a fresh June morning in loverly Castlemaine. A trip to the Saturday morning farmers market at Wheelers Hill for a coffee seemed in order.

As we sat over a rather good caffe latte, observing the relentless mono-culturalness that seems to be a feature of "farmers' markets" everywhere - the local girl had a thought. "There are pork buns in there..." she whispered, pointing at the door to a hall which housed the pop up food stalls.

We looked at the time. 11:35 am. Then how we laughed when we realised - ANY TIME IS PORK BUN TIME!

So - we ventured forth and lo - through the hazy mists we spied the bamboo steamer and the hand written sign promising Free Range Pork Steamed Buns.

On the outside a very respectable looking pork bun. A faint glossy sheen and a pleasing but not especially pale dough.

Inside, a nice amount of filling - cubed pork - tender, fragrant and very juicy looking. No sign of red char siu, mushroom or any Asian spices in this baby.

Lookit tha' graveeeey

...and the flavour? The dough agreeably sweet but not overpoweringly so. The filling - like a tasty meat pie - savory and umami with a lovely peppery after-bite. Really unlike any other bao I've bitten into.

I think it is the perfect country farmers' market bun - the meat pie baozi!