Sausage rolls and pies are back on the menu at last

One of Taranaki’s top bakers is tipping mince pies and cream doughnuts to be in big demand as the country moves into coronavirus alert level 2 today.

New Zealand shifted down from level 3 at 11.59pm last night, clearing the way for retail stores, including bakeries, to resume trading following the country’s move to alert level 4 on March 25.

The reopening of takeaways two weeks ago saw queues of people waiting to get their favourite burger or fried chicken fix, and Andre Glen, of New Plymouth’s Andre’s Pies and Patisserie, believed there could be similar scenes today.

‘‘It’s a bit of a waiting game. You just never know what’s going to happen,’’ Glen said yesterday as he prepared to reopen his store on Leach St.

The 70-year-old, who has been tantalising Taranaki’s taste buds for 48 years, said customers began calling last week to ask when he would reopen.

Glen wasn’t afraid to take a punt on what would be in hot demand. ‘‘I would say our pies, naturally. The mince or mince and cheese – the old favourites.

‘‘And, of course, our cream doughnuts. We sell a lot of cream doughnuts because we make them the old-fashioned way, and we have won a lot of awards.

‘‘Oh, and our sausage rolls just go out the door. We sell lots and lots of sausage rolls.’’

The seven-week lockdown was the longest he had not traded since starting in business in 1972, and he had missed the interaction with customers.

‘‘I like to talk with a lot of people. That’s what you do when you are in business.’’

Originally from Palmerston North, Glen said Taranaki was a great city to be in business.

‘‘This is just a wonderful place.’’

Ha¯ wera’s Anderson’s Pie Shop and Caterers had continued to supply supermarkets during lockdown and didn’t want to comment yesterday, while Nelson’s Bakery in Inglewood didn’t return calls.

Meanwhile, hotels and restaurants are also gearing up.

Tobias Daniels, owner of Millenium Hotel New Plymouth and manager of Salt Restaurant, said staff were very keen to get going again, particularly the head chef, who had been in the kitchen for the past week and a half. ‘‘It’s been a long seven weeks.’’ They have bookings, about six to eight each night, but would welcome more.

‘‘We’d like to thank the community for their ongoing support.

‘‘We’ve got quite a loyal following.’’