Winner ‘speechless’ after lifting world title for Scotch pies
Butcher praises team as ‘best in the land’
Alan Pirie from James Pirie and Son in Newtyle collects the prize for world’s best Scotch pie from TV presenter Carol Smillie. Pic: Katielee Arrowsmith A locally-based butcher has been declared as having the best Scotch pie in the world.
James Pirie and Son, from Newtyle, was officially crowned the winner of the world Scotch pie championship for 2018 earlier this week.
Following a busy judging day in Cumbernauld, more than 80 butchers and bakers from across the world entered in excess of 400 pies, sausage rolls, bridies, savouries and apple pies in this year’s competition, with 50 top industry experts scoring and marking the goods to see James Pirie and Son come out on top.
On winning the title of world’s best Scotch pie, Alan Pirie from Newtyle butchers on the fringes of east Perthshire said: “We won, I am speechless!
“To have been given the ultimate accolade today and to be able to call our pie the world champion as judged by a panel of experts is just excellent.”
He continued: “This award is proof of what I have known for a long time that the James Pirie and Son team is the best in the land. I am really looking forward to the year ahead and to selling more of our champion pies than ever.”
The awards for the 19th world pie championships were presented at the glittering lunch on Tuesday by Carol Smilie.
The popular TV personality said: “I have announced the winner for three years in a row now and I know what it means to win so I am delighted for James Pirie and Son and for what the year ahead holds.
“Every winner here today can be proud and I hope they all see business boom as they enjoy their well-deserved success.”
The judging for this year’s competition was overseen by head judge Ian Nelson, who said he wanted to make sure only the best of the best was crowned the world champion of the Scotch pie.
He said: “The competition, which has run for 19 years, aims to highlight that bakers and butchers create high quality pastry products day-in, day-out.
“Recognising the ‘great and the good’ in this way rewards excellence and raises the bar in the industry.”
Entries for all the different categories flooded in from all over, from as far away as California, with Kevin Haggard from Sunblest Foods in the state’s Santa Maria vying for the Scotch pie prize.
The baked goods were scored and given bronze, silver, gold and diamond awards in each category, with a number of other Perthshire establishments making the cut.
Mr C’s handcrafted pies from Abernethy had a good day, coming away with the overall diamond award, as well as the silver and gold awards in the cold savoury category, and winning the coveted Maclean Cup for best speciality savoury for their traditional pork pie.
Likewise, Murrays Pies in Perth’s South Street, who previously won the overall Scotch pie title in 2015, came up trumps again, winning bronze awards in both the hot savoury and macaroni pie categories.
And finally, Auchterarder’s Sugar and Spice, who won the top accolade back in 2004, won a bronze award in the bridie category.
Offering his congratulations Craig McPhie, president of Scottish Bakers, said: “Once again we have brought together the best pies and baked goods in the land and today we can really celebrate the achievement of our hard working butchers and bakers.
“My heartfelt congratulations go to our world champions and, indeed, everyone today taking away a prize - they are all winners in my book.”