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Believe it or not today’s find has been around for 30 years! They have had team members come and go and celebrated countless birthdays, weddings and anniversaries with their loyal customers and now, three decades later, they are still as strong as ever – now that’s impressive. So to say Sandton Home Industry is an institution in Parkmore and the greater Joburg area is a bit of an understatement of note. The spot has been selling delicious home-made cakes, baked goodies, meals and more to hungry Joburgers in the know for a while now, and if you have not yet visited this spot then you seriously have to make a plan... and soon!
The little home industry has been going strong since 1984 and as the owners put it “is becoming more delicious with age.” The cake and bake shop started out as, and still is, a co-op – all the ladies who make and bake for the store have a stake in the store and its takings. The store has 13 ladies who bake various savoury and sweet treats for the store’s shelves as well as a few who create fabulous crafts, pottery, gift items, and home decor pieces. Of course the 13 ladies involved are not all the original members and when one decides to hang up her apron another comes to take her place (they actually hold a bake off to make sure that whoever takes over is up to scratch!) and continue the legacy of Sandton Home Industry. Trust me when I say, these are some talented ladies!
I love that each and every item available on their shelves is made from scratch according to tried and trusted recipes and that everything is baked fresh daily. The store practices strict quality control and each item is only allowed to stay on the shelves for a certain amount of time before it is removed - not that it has time to get stale as many of the items are so popular that they sell out in the morning or by lunch time! Something else I love about the store is that each baker has their own number so you can easily find goodies made by your favourite baker and try their entire range (love baker 11’s cakes? Then why not try her cookies as well?) Me, the boyfriend and his mom are currently obsessed with the gluten-free chocolate brownies made by baker 28 (R45 for a tray of 8 brownies) and so I often try to look for other goodies baked made by her to see what else she has up her extremely talented sleeves.
My other reason for loving this store is a bit more complicated. You see, we all have that one aunt who is a great cook or a talented baker and since I now live in Joburg, far, far away from my culinary-blessed aunt I needed something to replace her delicious home-made baked treats – enter Sandton Home Industry. It’s like having 13 culinary-blessed aunts at your disposal all the time and I love them for it! Over the past two years I have had the pleasure of trying a few goodies from their shelves and I can honestly say that I have never been disappointed by anything I have bought there. From samoosas, pies and bread sticks to cakes, macaroons and cordials everything on their shelves is simply delicious. What’s more, they are the only place to shop the next time you need some grub for a special occasion – they offer pre-ordered novelty cakes, catering platters and a range of home-made meals (which only work out to about R45 per portion!) for small events and special occasions.
Of course I won’t leave you high and dry without a few suggestions of what to try when you visit, so I got the scoop from the co-op ladies to find out which items are their most popular and which are worth grabbing first thing in the morning. On the sweet front: baker number 17’s Chocolate Cake is a definite must try as is baker number 11’s Yoghurt Ripple and baker number 3’s Death By Chocolate Cake (she also makes an amazing Apricot Almond Tart - R89 for a large tray). For savoury treats try baker number 16’s Roasted Tomato Tart (R89 for a large tray) or her Chicken Pie (R110 for a large pie).
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By Crystal Espin
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