Porridge makers from around the world are heading towards the home of the World Porridge Making Championships in the Highland village of Carrbridge. The 18th World Porridge Making Championship takes place on 9th October and will see competitors from Sweden, Ireland, America and the UK compete for the coveted Golden Spurtle.
Furthest flung competitors are Merry Graham and Patrick Potter who are travelling over 5,000 miles from California to Carrbridge. Merry beat off stiff opposition in the North American ‘qualifying’ heats run by Oregon based Bob’s Red Mill’ to win the all expenses paid trip to Scotland.
Competitors come from all walks of life including an astrophysics student; a Gaelic singer; a high flying managing director; a mill owner; mother of four, professional chefs and bed & breakfast proprietors.
The competition will determine what is judged to be the best bowl of traditional porridge made from nothing but oatmeal, salt and water. The competition will also crown the champion of the speciality porridge section where competitors have complete free reign to bring together other ingredients and flavours to traditional porridge to make their own creation. Speciality dishes in the past have included : Canadian Cran-Apple Crunch, Thai Curried Porridge, Oatmeal Bangers & Porridge Mash, Kedgeree Porridge and West Coast Seafood Porridge.
Judging is taken very seriously, as befits a world championship. Two professional Masterchefs of Great Britain, George McIvor and Colin Bussey sitting on the judging panel along with celebrity judge, Karen Mackenzie, producer and co-host of the Fred MacAulay Show on BBC Radio Scotland. Karen’s credentials being she was brought up in a bed & breakfast household where a large pan of porridge was on the stove at the start of every day.
The volunteer event organisers and residents of Carrbridge are looking forward to welcoming the competitors, spectators and press that the event attracts to the village hall. The village hall featured in the hit BBC programme Monarch of the Glen so is no stranger to the small screen and fame.
The event is open from 10.30am-4.00pm, with competitors and judges led to the hall by the Badenoch and Strathspey Pipe Band at 11.50am for the toast to the porridge and the start of the competition heats. The final cook off to decide the 2011 World Champion who carries off the Golden Spurtle takes place at 3.00pm. Cairngorms Farmers Market and local craft/produce stalls run throughout , in what is a day when the world beats a path to Carrbridge.
See www.goldenspurtle.com for more details and for overall area information www.visitcairngorms.com




