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Trophies go south from Strathspey's big porridge championships





English competitors won the coveted World Porridge Making Champion title and Speciality Porridge Champion title at today’s World Porridge Making Championships in Carrbridge (Saturday, October 12).

Nick and Lisa, 2019's champs
Nick and Lisa, 2019's champs

Lisa Williams, who runs a social enterprise and a community cafe for adults with learning disabilities in Trimley St Mary in Suffolk, was crowned World Porridge Making Champion, and Rude Health founder, Nick Barnard took the speciality title.

The coveted World Porridge Making Champion title is awarded to the contestant deemed to have made the best traditional porridge using just three ingredients – oatmeal, water and salt.

Lisa said: “I am surprised and thrilled to win the World Porridge Making Championships.

"I discovered the Golden Spurtle in 2015 and immediately fell in love with the competition. In 2016 I made it to the final six and have been chasing the dream ever since.

Lisa’s winning recipe was made with half Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal and half Hamlyns pinhead oatmeal, along with Maldon Sea Salt. “I didn’t use to use salt in my porridge, but I saw Nigel Slater using it years ago and have been doing the same ever since” she said.

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.

This year’s speciality winner was Rude Health founder, Nick Barnard, who’s Maple Pecan Porridge included Rude Health oatmeal, pecans from Roux Farm in South Africa and Guernsey Cream from Hurdlebrook Farm in Somerset.

The World Porridge Making Championships is organised by Carrbridge Community Council, and is sponsored by Hamlyns of Scotland, the Banffshire-based producer of Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal and Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats.

The judges - who tasted more than 60 porridges in the course of the day - were Colin Bussey, former head chef at Gleneagles, Lydie Bocquillon, classically taught French chef and owner of the Auld Alliance in Kingussie, and Neil Mugg, chef lecturer at Perth College UHI and former Head Pastry Chef at Glengeagles.

Full details of the event are available at www.goldenspurtle.com.

Winners photo: James Ross

See Thursday's Strathy for more on this story


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