Slattery’s Best of British wins national bake off prize

LIFE is sweet for a third generation North West family business after winning a national baking award for celebrating the best of British.

Slattery, based on Bury New Road, Whitefield, won Celebration Cake Business of the Year in the Baking Industry Awards 2014.

Topically, given the looming Scottish independence referendum, the Slattery team’s cake celebrated the  “Best of British”. Its winning entry, a three-tier cake represented typical scenes from England, Scotland and Wales.

The award was received at a dinner in London by Laura Slattery, the firm’s general manager and daughter of the patissier, John Slattery.

She explained: “For the Baking Industry Awards competition, our team of 13 cake decorators met and asked ‘what do people recognise?’ and ‘what makes Britain great?’. Then we concentrated on detail, yet making the scenes flow.

“England is symbolised by a traditional English seaside with deckchairs, a harbour and pubs, a village scene, church and afternoon tea, then the City of London with a British Beefeater and a bulldog.”

“Wales is represented by the Welsh valleys, daffodils surrounding a Welsh cottage, a rugby player and a Welsh lady holding the symbolic leek. Meanwhile, the Scottish section includes scenic lochs, a whisky barrel, Scottish piper and a Highland cow. “

Dividing the different scenes are Hadrian’s Wall, railway signs and stations and rose bushes. The base is the British pound coin, while the pinnacle features the figure of Britannia.

Martyn Leek, editor of awards organiser British Baker magazine, said: “The Baking Industry Awards represent the pinnacle of bakery in the UK and all of the finalists are to be applauded for their dedication, their skills and their products or services. They have worked hard, some of them for a lifetime, to reach this pinnacle.”