Fifty judges are probably still sleeping it off after sampling almost 500 pies at the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards, which took place in Dunfermline last week.
A total of 78 butchers, bakers and other producers threw their white trilbies into the ring for the event, which saw pies judged on taste, touch, appearance and smell.
Aside from the traditional Scotch pie, the competition also attracted entries across other categories including football pies and savouries, macaroni pies, steak pies, sausage rolls, hot savouries, vegetarian savouries, haggis savouries, bridies and apple pies.
Launched in 1999, the annual event is organised by bakery trade association Scottish Bakers to highlight the craft skills the nation’s pie makers demonstrate every day.
The winners will be revealed at an awards lunch on 16 January 2024 at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld by TV personality and long-term pie award presenter Carol Smillie. One can only wonder what will be on the menu.
Last year’s competition was won by James Pirie & Son, a Blairgowie-based butcher that is to pie making what Brazil is to football, with previous wins in 2020 and in 2018. The business was also crowned World Scotch Pie Champion of Champions in 2021.
