In the spirit of our Olympics issue, I am bestowing a few medals on some local culinary heroes who represent their respective nations with distinction. Among many deserving contenders, I chose just two yummy products: a Shanghai-produced Aussie meat pie (Bob Carr has infamously referred to the pie as Australia's "national dish") and a Chinese / Portuguese egg tart (a part of the dim sum meal so integral to Chinese culture that a group is applying to UNESCO to protect the dim sum tradition as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity).

Australian travel writer Caroline Major launched the Shanghai Pie Company because "this city is in need of some quality western food that is convenient." Major gets extra points for supporting local suppliers. "I'm very much into the sustainable food movement," she says. "We use organic produce and our ingredients are selectively sourced and traceable."

The Shanghai Pie factory in Songjiang has a big green yard ringed with giant sunflowers. In the stringently hygienic kitchens, cooks use premium meats like Aisen pork, a brand I have extolled before in this space. At the factory I sampled a sausage roll of ground pork seasoned with sage and enrobed in a crust that was an ideal mix of flakey and crumbly. Later at home I popped some beef pies in the oven. Although I left them in a bit too long so the tops burst open with gravy, they were none the worse for it and were deliciously satisfying with big chunks of beef in a rich brown sauce. The toasty crust was buttery perfection. An Aussie friend's enthusiastic approbation sealed the pie's medal status. Look for them in Slice (deli & sandwich), Kommune (cafe) and Shanghai Center's City Super.

Now time for dessert. I award my trusty local chain Surprising—coincidentally also based in Songjiang—with the highest egg tart honor (Lilian Bakery is another beloved favorite). A box of their egg tarts is welcome at any dinner party no matter how gourmand. Unlike the more common Hong Kong-style tarts with lemon-yellow custard, these are Portuguese-style. The tops have caramelized blackened spots and the filling is shockingly creamy, like crème brulee. The puff pastry is so crispy it sends flakes flying down your front. Hot from the oven, these golden tarts are unbeatable.

View all my latest articles under my Dining Blog - The Dish