Top award for the butcher who puts the ‘king’ into Kingussie!
A haggis quiche designed to appeal to the tourist trade has won a top industry award for Kingussie butcher Donald Gilmour.
The King Street butchers lifted the Scottish Craft Butchers (SCB) ultimate Diamond Award in the “Make It With Haggis” category, making it the best product of its type in Scotland.
The delighted owner said the unique pastry product has proved a customer favourite for the past three years.
“I came up with the recipe to extend our haggis season beyond Burns Night and give the tourists something a wee bit different,” said Mr Gilmour.
“I decided to enter it for the evaluation competition and never for a moment thought that it would take the top award. I’m absolutely delighted.”
Mr Gilmour, who took over the shop 10 years ago, said tourists are always keen to try haggis and butchers are always coming up with new products to incorporate the traditional foodstuff into different dishes.
“This is basically a cheese quiche mixture in a pastry case with haggis through it,” he said modestly. “I feel very honoured to lift this prestigious award for something so simple. I like it, our customers like it, the tourists like it and now it’s fantastic to know that the Scottish judges at the SCB event like it too.”
His four-strong team at Kingussie now hope their Haggis Quiche will have even wider appeal and pull in customers from far and wide wanting to try the best Make It With Haggis product in Scotland.
Jason Ward, general manager with event sponsors John Scott Meat, congratulated Mr Gilmour and his team on creating a “unique and innovative” product.
“We are thrilled to sponsor the Make it With Haggis competition, which celebrates the rich tradition of haggis while inspiring creativity and innovation,” he said. “A Haggis Quiche is something we haven’t seen before and it shows just how versatile our iconic Scottish haggis can be.
“The quality and craftsmanship from the local butcher never fail to amaze us and we congratulate our worthy winner.”
Scottish Craft Butchers executive manager Gordon King said the standard of entry had been extremely high and reflected the many innovative and delicious ways local independent butchers are incorporating haggis into versatile and popular dishes.
“Donald Gilmour’s quiche was up against fierce competition, but it proved a judges’ favourite on the day and justifiably took home top honours.”
