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Cooks up way to keep brother’s passion alive

THIS will be Merrylands resident Robyn East’s first year of competing without her brother Gregory by her side after his sad passing last year but she is as determined as ever to do well and carry on their 25-year-old legacy of competing in the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Amassing hundreds of ribbons and trophies between them for their baking and horticulture efforts, Robyn said she and her brother came from a long line of green thumbs and cooks.
“Our grandfather was head gardener at Clyde Railway Yards for many years, our parents always kept roses and our great aunt had an award-winning bakery in the Eastern Suburbs,” she said.
Recovering from shoulder surgery this year, she has still managed to submit in the Horticulture section – indoor pot plants, a fern and roses and vegetables such as pumpkins, zucchini, marrow, squash, beetroot, chillies, onions and eggplant, with assistance from friends.
In the Cooking section – she has entered a rich fruit cake, light fruitcake and sultana cake, and in the Novice section, her lamingtons, orange cake and plain scones.
In the Open section, Robyn has baked rich butter cake, chocolate cake, orange cake, marble cake, date and walnut loaf, peach blossom, scones and coconut macaroons.
Describing it as her passion and hobby, Robyn said she’s looking forward to competing and is always learning something new.
“It’s exciting to see your efforts competing against Australia’s best and to get a win feels amazing,” she said.