Auchterarder baker finalist in pie award

An Auchterarder bakers is in the running for the chance to be named the best in the country.

Sugar and Spice from Auchterarder has made it on to the shortlist for the 19th world championship scotch pie awards which were announced last week.

Around 50 professional judges assessed more than 450 different scotch pies from 80 different bakers and butchers all over Scotland to decide the short-list for the scotch pie finals.

The baked goods were all marked by the judges on their appearance, quality, consistency and taste, meaning only the very best made it through to the finals.

Craig McPhie, president of Scottish Bakers, said:“The world championship scotch pie awards is the only competition of its kind recognising excellence in the preparation of a perfect pie.

“The competition is now a regular fixture on the calendar as butchers and bakers throughout the land vie for pie supremacy and the boost of their business that always comes with such a sought after title.”

The competition, which is now in its 19th year, aims to highlight the high quality of pastry products on offer across Scotland, and to raise the bar of excellence in the country’s baking industry.

This year, the competition has also been extended to include prizes for football pies, macaroni pies, steak pies, sausage rolls, cold savourites, hot savourties, vegetarian savouries, haggis savouries, bridies and apple pies.

The king of the scotch pie will be announced at a special lunch on Tuesday, January 9 in the Westerwood Hotel in Cumbernauld, where Sugar and Spice will be hoping to win the top spot.