The humble scallop pie. It doesn’t get more Tasmanian than this local delicacy. Fresh Tassie scallops swimming in a hot, aromatic curry sauce encased in flaky pastry. Yum.

Tasmania can’t lay claim to many food inventions. Outside of Aboriginal bush tucker, Tassie cuisine is a hodgepodge of overseas influences. We’ve got savoury toast, fairy bread (that’s right, fairy bread is Tasmanian, and perhaps most notably, the scallop pie.

This writer’s story with the pie began over a decade ago when my grandpar­ents came to visit from the mainland. Aside from meeting up with family, my Grandad, a seafood fanatic, had a mission. He wanted to eat a scallop pie. They’re hard to find in NSW, so this was his best opportunity. On a family day trip to the Southern Beaches, we visited the bakery at Dodges Ferry, and there it was. Grandad took a bite. “That’s the best scallop pie I’ve ever had,” he said. I was a kid then, and the thought of scallops grossed me out, but this declaration gave me the bravery I needed to try one for the first time. Sure enough, I loved it, and I’ve been a devoted fan ever since. The pie feels like home to me.

But where did this marvellous invention come from? Whose tombstone should I place flowers at and weep? Most curi­ously, what factors led to Tasmania being the place of origin? Now that it’s scallop season, there’s no better time to dig into its history. Like scallops hidden in their shells, the scallop pie’s exact origin is shrouded in mystery, but we can speculate and make educated guesses.

We must begin with the meat pie, a beloved Australian staple, and an essential menu item for bakeries and takeaway shops. Early versions of the meat pie date back to Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, but the pie as we know it today really took off in 14th century Europe, and continued to be redefined and made even tastier with the invention of buttery pastry. The meat pie arrived in Australia with British colonists in the 18th century, and has since evolved into its own thing, the classic Australian Meat Pie.

Meanwhile in Tasmania, the first scallop season occurred in the 1890s, and by the 1900s, scallops were a cherished local delicacy, prompting size regulations and seasonal closures to sustain their harvest. Apparently back in the day, fishing ports were overflowing with the shellfish. Now to address an essential ingredient: Keen’s Curry.

Another Tasmanian invention, Joseph Keen created the famous flavouring in either the 1850s or 1860s (there are conflicting reports on this) in Kingston. Keen’s Curry differs from most curry powders in that it contains no cumin, resulting in a distinct mild flavour. It is this flavour that brings the scallop pie to life.

So we have all the elements: British meat pies, Tasmanian scallops, and Keen’s Curry. When did they first come together? I’m afraid we don’t know for sure. The best guess is somewhere in the early-to-mid 1900s. Rumours are that waterfront pubs added curry cream sauce to scallop pies to make patrons thirstier, but this cannot be proven. What we do know is that in the 1920s a dish of curried scallops (without the pastry) was popular in Tasmania, then in the 30s the first recipes for early variations of scallop pies were being submitted to local newspapers.

At some point someone put all the right ingredients together, and the scallop pie we can find in local bakeries today was born. It is undoubtedly one of Tasmania’s favourite dishes, and of the few we can absolutely claim as our own. No wonder my Grandad wants to try one every time he visits. So stop what you’re doing and go eat one right now!

Where to Find A Scallop Pie

The first stop to make in finding a good scallop pie is Harbour Lights at the Hobart Waterfront. They’ve been a staple on the menu for at least half a century, so it’s more than a meal, it’s history. Over in Battery Point, visit Jackman & McRoss for their beautifully flaky pies, or Banjos for a high street version. While Leslie Vale’s Bush Bakery doesn’t conjure images of the sea due to its namesake, their scallop pies are beloved. Believe it or not, the inland town of Ross has two, that’s right, two bakeries that serve up great scallop pies: Bakery 31 and Ross Village Bakery. This list is far from extensive, so what are your favourite places for scallop pies? Asking for a friend…