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Scottish Black Pudding Championship title returns to Wemyss Bay
Monday, 17th Jan 2022Scotland`s Black Pudding Championship crown has returned to Wemyss Bay after judges proclaimed McCaskie`s product the best in Scotland.
The popular multi-award-winning family butcher lifted the honours in the Scottish Craft Butchers Awards 2022 and owner Nigel Ovens welcomed its return after 18 years with unrestrained delight.
Having lifted the championship in 2004, Nigel went on to be runner-up in 2012 and West of Scotland regional champion in 2014 and 2016.
"We worked really hard to perfect the recipe and give us a fighting chance to bring the championship title back to McCaskie`s," said Nigel, who learned of his success on his 45th birthday.
"This is just the best birthday present ever," he said. "I feel amazing - we`re so pleased and thrilled to have regained the crown. It`s a fantastic lift for us all at the start of another year.
"Black pudding is one of the most important butchers` traditional staples in Scotland and it`s now evolved into a gourmet ingredient in fine dining establishments as well as on our family breakfast tables.
"When I joined the family firm our black pudding was terrible. It was the first thing I changed and it became a passionate crusade on my part to transform the recipe into something special. Now we`re producing up to 1,000 lbs of black pudding each week to supply customers all across the UK.
"To lift the national Scottish championship twice is just fantastic - we really feel the title`s back where it belongs."
Only one other knows the secret recipe for McCaskie`s championship-winning black pudding - trusted butcher colleague Billy McFadden.
"We`ve shed blood, sweat and tears to perfect it," said Nigel, "Billy is the only other person I trust with the recipe, ensuring consistency and quality never falters."
The competition attracted entries from all across Scotland and Ian McVicar, Director of sponsors Scotweigh said McCaskie`s award-winning black pudding typified the very high standard of product available at our local butchers.
"To succeed so often with this product shows the consistently high quality available to the public and we`re delighted to sponsor this competition to recognise and reward prize-winning black pudding butchers all across Scotland."
Scottish Craft Butchers President Tom Courts said the standard displayed in the competition typified the quality produced by craft butchers in every part of the country.
"It`s great to see butchers vying for the accolades again after Covid," said Tom, "and we`re seeing the very best of the best take this year`s championships.
"Nigel and his team at McCaskie`s consistently set the bar extremely high in these championships and I`m delighted to see his passion and commitment have paid off this year.
"It gives a butcher a great lift to know his products are judged to be the best in Scotland and customers can be assured that the championship-winning product they buy across the counter at McCaskie`s is exactly the same as those that secured the judges` vote in the competition."
NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy and Chief Executive Scott Walker had the privilege of judging the championship final. Speaking afterwards, Mr Kennedy said: “Scotland’s craft butchers have an incredible reputation for producing high quality, innovative products and getting to taste the very best black pudding the nation has to offer was an honour for us both.
“The nation’s butchers remain huge and loyal supporters of our red meat sector and their role in relaying to the public our fantastic story on local, sustainable, welfare and environment-friendly beef, lamb, pork and chicken is pivotal. It is no surprise that consumers have increasingly turned to butchers throughout the pandemic for reassurances on where their meat comes from and how it has been reared.
“And with such high-quality products, like those that made it to the final, the future for Scottish Craft Butchers is assured.”
Ends
For further information please contact Gordon King, Executive Manager, Scottish Craft Butchers, on 07917-524-313
or
Scottish Craft Butchers PR Maureen Young on 07778-779-888
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