Local Politicians Face Off at Bake Off – Scone Newbie is Runner Up

It was flour and butter at the ready this morning in the Christchurch suburb of Wainoni.

Well known cooking personality, Jo Seagar, judged several local and national politicians in a “scone bake off” as part of a community fun day.

Organised by Betty Chapman from the Wainoni Avonside Community Services (WACS), the bakers included Nicky Wagner (ChCh Central MP), Poto Williams (ChCh East MP), Christchurch City Councillors Ali Jones, Paul Lonsdale, Yani Johanson, Glenn Livingstone and David East.

After a hiccup with the centre’s only oven (the auto timer was set which turned it off for 20 minutes until it was found the oven was in fact off) all the scones were judged by Jo Seagar, who considered everything from the rolling pin (“an extra point for Ali Jones who has a very folksy looking rolling pin”) to the look of the finished product (“Not a classic scone but it may just surprise us” – said of Yani Johanson’s mixed berry and banana creation).

The winner was Nicky Wagner whose blueberry scones were light, tasty and made in an amazing short time of 12 minutes – something the MP said was important when we are all so busy.

Runner up was a scone newbie, Christchurch City Councillor Paul Lonsdale, who picked up his ingredients and mixing bowls from the supermarket on the way to the competition. Paul credited his wife Denise with his success; she supported him energetically from the front row of the audience.

“All scones were a credit to their creators”, said Jo Seagar. “Hungry workers in the rebuild would have scoffed them in a heartbeat,” she added.