Well, who else would win World Porridge contest but two Swedes?
For the first time in its history The World Porridge Making Championships has awarded the coveted Golden Spurtle to two competitors
For the second year running the World Porridge Making Championship trophy, the Golden Spurtle, is making its way to Scandinavia.
In a competition first, the annual awards, which take place in the picturesque village of Carrbridge and have been running for a quarter of a century, saw two competitors come joint first. Victors Calle Myrsell and Per Carlsson, who both hail from Sweden, were awarded the coveted trophy after being deemed to have made the best traditional porridges using just three ingredients – oatmeal, water and salt – by the judging panel.
However, for the first time ever, the judges were unable to pick one bowl of porridge over the other. Per, who won the speciality porridge award last year, and Calle, a first-time entrant, both travelled to Scotland to take part in the competition and believe the secret to their joint success is their Swedish oats, with both using organic oats produced by Saltå Kvarn in Sweden.
In front of an audience of hundreds, 30 competitors from around the world (including countries such as Finland, Canada, Estonia, Russia and Australia) took part in the event in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.
This year saw such a high volume of entries that for the first time in the competition’s 25-year history a shortlist had to be created to whittle down the number of entrants.
Following the announcement, Per Carlsson, who also hosts the Swedish Porridge Making Championships in Steninge, said: “After I won the speciality porridge category last year I have thought about winning the Golden Spurtle every day, so I am absolutely delighted. Great porridge needs three key things; love, patience and great ingredients.”
For novice Calle, who was also visiting Scotland for the first time, it was a big experience. “Everyone here at the competition has been so friendly and welcoming. I am totally surprised to win on my first time. I came here on my own but everyone back home is thrilled for me, I have never had so many Facebook comments! For the perfect porridge I like to cook for a long time, nearly 25 minutes and only adding the salt in at the end. I like a smooth consistency so it doesn’t stick to the spoon or spurtle.”
The Golden Spurtle trophy – which is named after a traditional Scottish kitchen tool dating from the 15th century, used to stir porridge, soups, stews and broths – will now travel back to Sweden with the pair. As well as the traditional porridge competition, there is also a speciality category for oatmeal combined with any other ingredients, leading to a wide variety of sweet and savoury entries.
Taking the crown with his oatinspired tapas was Chris Young from Perthshire. They featured eight elements, all prepared in the allotted half hour, including mussels stuffed with skirlie, Mexican green rice and steak with an oat gremolata.
The winner of the first junior heat, part of the celebrations for the Year of Young People, was 26-year-old Lynn Munro from Sutherland, who prepared the traditional porridge as well as her speciality entry. “Forage for your porridge” featured Heather honey, hazelnuts, blueberries, brambles, oatmeal, water, wood sorrel, plums, apples, quince, rosehip and hawthorn, some of which was foraged in Carrbridge on the morning of the competition.
Event organiser Michelle Green said: “It is the first time we have had joint winners as the judges just couldn’t pick one over the other. Per and Calle can feel very proud to have succeeded in the face of stern competition from across the world. I hope that the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships will continue to inspire people to enjoy porridge.”