Scallops in the spotlight - who made the best pie?

Around 3000 people descended on Bridport for the Tassie Scallop Fiesta last Sunday where the state's scallop industry was in the spotlight.

There was a queue for the scallop kebabs which sold out by mid afternoon, there was cocktail making and crayfish pot making and great musical entertainment and presenations of great local produce and how to cook it.

But the ultimate test of the seafood delicacy was the scallop pie contest which drew dozens of entries and kept judges Murray Partridge of Scottsdale and Alice Loone and Scott Townshend from TasTafe busy for most of the day.

Launceston fresh seafood retailer Hammond Seafoods won the curried scallop pie prize, and the Cottage Bakery at Scottsdale took out the gourmet section.

With tourists in the state always looking for the best scallop pie, the winning entries can expect a rush.

Tassie Scallop Fiesta director Tony Scott said this year’s event was a huge success.

“We’re very happy and proud of the fact that we are quite apart from other festivals with premium beverages and food on offer – we don’t have dagwood dogs and fairy floss,” Mr Scott said.

“We had a range of different demonstrations and displays to suit a variety of tastes and they were at capacity in most cases.”

Mr Scott said he was pleased to see the event become a staple on the Tasmanian events calendar.