Five bakers and butchers from across the north and north-east have been recognised in the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards 2022.
Businesses from up and down the region had their eyes on the prize and while they may not have bagged the top accolade in the main category – World Scotch Pie Champion – many have taken home a range of medals in 10 of the other categories.
Around 60 judges, which included stars in the industry and leading food and drink professionals, sampled more than 400 pastry products from 70 plus butchers and bakers across the country to decide the winners.
Scotch pie success
Macleans Highland Bakery in Forres won a gold medal in the Scotch pie category, one of the most highly-sought after medals in the competition below the diamond, which was awarded to the new world champion, Brownings the Bakers Ltd in Kilmarnock.
Cafe V8 in Inverness was awarded a bronze for its Scotch pie in the category also, as was Ashers Bakery in Nairn.
However, for those who love steak pies, it was Murdoch Allan and Son in Hatton, Aberdeenshire that bagged the diamond medal in the Steak Pie category.
Football pie is a hit
Cafe V8 was also awarded a bronze in the Football Pie or Savoury category for its steak pie for Clachnacuddin Football Club.
In the Apple Pie category, Ashers Bakery took home silver, while The Bread Guy in Aberdeen was awarded a bronze in the Sausage Roll category.
Ashers Bakery also received a bronze for its pork and black pudding cocktail sausage rolls in the Cold Savoury category and the firm also bagged a gold in the Hot Savoury category for its steak slice.
Macleans Highland Bakery took home a silver for its delicious fajita beef pie as well.
For those that love macaroni pies, Ashers Bakery was awarded the gold medal, bringing its total number of accolades at this year’s awards to five, and Macleans Highland Bakery was awarded a bronze in the same category.
George Asher from Ashers Bakery was delighted to see the company gather so many different awards for its products.
He said: “It is great that this year we have won five awards.
“Our bakery team have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic producing delicious products so they can be rightly proud of their achievements.
“When we’re allowed, and it’s safe to do so, we will get together to celebrate!”
A specific pie making area
And cafe and restaurant owner, David MacDougall of V8 Cafe was over the moon to hear his venue, which isn’t a bakers or butchers, had managed to bag two awards.
His staff member, Angela Clark, is the woman behind the pies and makes them all by hand.
He said: “It is great for the area having so many businesses recognised as it is usually the central belt who get these awards.
“I used to have a butchers but we’ve got a baking area in the kitchen. Angela makes them all herself and we supply Caledonia Thistle and do a range of pies for people to buy.
“I think between Christmas and New Year she made 338 large pies and 150 medium ones. It is fantastic the name we’ve got and getting something at these awards just shows we are doing something right.”