Macaroni pie secures World Championship title for north-east butcher
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A NORTH-east butcher can lay claim to producing the world's best macaroni pie.
Bert Fowlie, based in Strichen, was this week named as winner of the prestigious diamond prize at the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards.
The proof is in the pastry as the third-generation family butcher recently won the Scottish Butcher of the Year for the third time in a row.
Having previously won the inaugural diamond award for the macaroni pie when it was introduced to the awards in 2017, the firm's Gavin Fowlie said: “It's a huge achievement to win a diamond award like this.
“There are maybe 10 butchers' shops allocated for the bronze, silver and gold categories but only one for the diamond, so we're really chuffed.
“We won it before a few years ago but we never thought we would win it again, we're delighted.
“It's good for not just the shop, but also the staff who put in all the work into making our products what they are, so I have to congratulate them.”
Fowlie's, who first opened their High Street shop in 1956, distribute their produce all over Aberdeenshire.
Fellow north-east firm J G Ross of Inverurie was given a bronze award in the same category.
Taking top spot in the 'Best Football Pie' bracket was Fraserburgh's Bruce of the Broch, remaining true to their town's heritage with their fish pie delicacy.
Commenting, business owner Alistair Bruce said: "It's great to win the football pie for the second time in three years, it's another prize for Fraserburgh Football Club too.
"However we would not manage it without our great team of chefs and bakers, and of course the best local fish."
Overall championship winner for the headline Scotch Pie title was James Pirie and Son, hailing from the tiny Angus village of Newtyle.
Judging took place in Dunfermline in November, with head judge Ian Nelson and expert critics from the baking industry being the lucky chosen samplers!
The World Championship Scotch Pie awards were launched in 1999 with an aim of focusing an quality an innovation.
Since then, hundreds of bakers and butchers have been nominated for the title and various sub-categories.
Each company is permitted one entry for the overall Scotch Pie, sausage roll, bridie, macaroni, and apple pie categories and up to five savoury products including hand-held steak pie, hot or cold savoury, haggis savoury and vegetarian savoury.
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