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Byron Shire
March 27, 2024

Irresistible pastries you can’t go past

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The Scratch family love very big croissants

Story & photo Lisa Machin 

Scratch Patisserie is a household name in the Northern Rivers, and it’s a rare individual who can walk past one of their pastries without stopping.

Since opening the doors to Scratch ten years ago, Greg and Angie Wilton have underpinned their family business with one simple mantra: make it fresh, make it from scratch.

The Northern Rivers is now renowned for its small batch, artisan offerings, and Scratch Patisserie is a favourite of Mullumbimby Farmers Markets (every Friday) and New Brighton Farmers Markets (every Tuesday).

It’s been a year since Greg and Angie chose to close their shop and focus solely on the markets in the region.

Greg said it’s a decision they couldn’t be happier with.

‘By scaling down we can ensure we keep things as local as possible,’ he said.

‘We can get things through the markets and focus on what fruits and vegetables are in season.

‘There are people who have been making great products for a long time around here, who aren’t always in the limelight, and this allows us to contribute to the local food chain and connect to our local community.’

One new product being cooked up in the Scratch kitchen is their fig, pecan and honey scroll.

The pecan paste is sourced from fellow marketeers Nimbin Valley Pecans and Rice, and the honey comes from a local family of third generation honey farmers.

‘They’ve been producing great honey for years, and in fact our fathers used to play football together, so it’s a great local story!’ Greg said.

Scratch employs two local staff who prepare the baked goods, making the dough and making the pastries during the daytime.

Angie and Greg then work in partnership to deliver the fresh products to their local communities.

On market days Greg’s day starts at midnight, as he begins baking the products that have been prepared that day.

After a morning of baking before the sun comes up, he packs up and heads into the markets to set up the Scratch stall.

‘It’s the best part of the day,’ Greg says.

‘The sounds, the smell, the way the weather changes – a lot of people who rise early in the morning know the changeover – that cold, crisp change, when the wind starts to drop’.

And for those who head to the local markets, the smell of a fig, pecan and honey scroll is now also on the air!

The New Brighton Farmers Market is on every Tuesday from 8–11am, and the Mullumbimby Farmers Market every Friday 7–11am.


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