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Scotsman
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Scotland wins yet another World Championship – and it's the big one
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland may have never won the football World Cup and we don't always win at two sports we gave to the world, curling and golf (if only...). But don't worry, fret not, keep a calm sooch. For, when it comes to be big one, Scotland has triumphed yet again. That's right, a representative of this country has won the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards. The top prize was claimed by the legendary – although these pies are very real – creations of James Pirie & Son of Wemyss Bay, which closed last year but whose recipe is now being faithfully reproduced by McCaskie's Butcher & Café. It's unclear how many entries were submitted from the rest of the world, but we're sure all-comers would be welcome. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There were many Scotch pies and other baked goods at the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards | contributed Scotland, with a little help from England, invented the football international and it is surely only a matter of time before the culinary masterpiece that is a well-cooked Scotch pie becomes a similar global phenomenon.
The Herald Scotland
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Wemyss Bay McCaskie's Butchers crowned world's haggis champion
Third-generation butcher Nigel Ovens admitted to being overwhelmed when he secured the global title at the Scottish Craft Butchers Trade Fair in Perth on Sunday. The haggis triumph sealed a double for Mr Ovens, whose Scotch Pie – crafted to an award-winning recipe created by James Pirrie & Son of Dundee – was also crowned World Scotch Pie Champion at the Scotch Pie Awards. Judges praised his haggis for being 'meaty, with a coarse but moist texture'. Its 'spicy peppery element', said to kick in at the end, made it 'a real champion'. Head judge Jon Wilkin said it 'couldn't be bettered'. 'I've spent years watching, tasting, tweaking and learning from others and I'm absolutely thrilled to be lifting the World Championship – it's a dream come true.' The haggis was said to be 'meaty, course and moist' (Image: Scottish Craft Butchers) Mr Ovens' haggis won the Scottish Championship 10 years ago and the butcher, who owns McCaskie's Butchers at Wemyss Bay, fought off stiff opposition from 55 other producers to be named world champion this time around. He refuses to part with the secrets of the recipe that makes his haggis a world-beater, but did allow a few key details to seep out. The butcher said: 'Let's just say lamb fat probably helps sweeten the haggis and give it broader appeal,' he said, 'but after a lifetime spent perfecting the recipe, I'll keep the rest a secret.' Nigel said the world title was a reward for his 24-strong team at Wemyss Bay who work to ensure that his haggis is enjoyed by customers across the UK. 'Haggis is no longer a Burns Night and burst product,' he said. 'It is a versatile foodstuff used to create a multitude of haggis products enjoyed throughout the year. 'It's one of Scotland's most iconic products and this World Haggis Championship title is the one that every butcher in the country aspires to. 'This means so much to me. It literally is a lifetime's achievement – I'm so honoured, so humbled and so thrilled.' Head judge Mr Wilkin, Reader in Food Innovation and Knowledge Exchange at Abertay University, said McCaskie's haggis was the very best the world could showcase and a worthy winner of the championship. 'It's absolutely fantastic and I can't imagine there's a better haggis anywhere,' he said. 'The judges had a tough time because the standard this year was extraordinary, but Nigel's haggis had something special. 'It was meaty, with a coarse but moist texture, just the right amount of offal to flavour but not overwhelm, a really good salt level and a wonderful spicy peppery element that kicks in at the end – a real champion.' Mr Ovens' Scotch Pie also won the top award (Image: Scottish Craft Butchers) Louise Harley from championship sponsor Grampian Oat Products added her congratulations to McCaskie's after playing her part on the judging panel. 'It was an honour to be part of such a prestigious event as both a judge and a sponsor,' she said. 'The standard was incredibly high and, although scoring was tight, we congratulate Nigel Ovens and McCaskie's on an outstanding product. 'Oats are an integral part of the haggis recipe and Grampian Oat Products was delighted to sponsor the World Championships again this year.' READ MORE: Mr Ovens is only the second butcher ever to win the World Haggis Championship – a competition staged for the first time by Scottish Craft Butchers (SCB) in 2023 and held every two years. SCB President, Laura Black of Coopers of Bellshill and previous holder of the title, said she was delighted to see the extremely high standard of entry for such an iconic dish and congratulated Nigel for reaching his lifetime goal. 'McCaskie's are well known for their multi-award-winning products and for Nigel to add this World Haggis Championship to his plaudits is just wonderful,' said Laura. 'There are few butchers who wouldn't want to add that accolade to their honours and we're thrilled for him.'
Irish Examiner
22-04-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Historic letter from Titanic survivor Colonel Gracie to go under the hammer
A letter card written by one of the most well-known survivors of the Titanic disaster is expected to sell for up to €69,924 (£60,000) at auction. Colonel Archibald Gracie wrote the famous book The Truth About The Titanic, detailing his experiences onboard the ill-fated liner, which sank costing 1,500 lives. The letter card is dated April 10 1912 and is postmarked Queenstown April 11 and London April 12 and is believed to be the only example from Gracie in existence from onboard the Titanic. It is written over four sides to the seller's great-uncle who was an acquaintance of Gracie. The letter card was written over four sides by Colonel Archibald Gracie (Henry Aldridge & Son/PA) It is going under the hammer at Henry Aldridge and Son, of Devizes, Wiltshire, on April 26. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said letters from survivors as high profile as Gracie rarely, if ever, come to market and this piece has never been offered for sale. It reads in part: 'It is a fine ship but I shall await my journey's end before I pass judgment on her. 'The Oceanic is like an old friend and while she does not possess the elaborate style and varied amusement of this big ship, still her sea worthy qualities and yacht like appearance make me miss her. 'It was very kind of you to give me this kindly send off, with best wishes for your success and happiness. Archibald Gracie.' Gracie boarded the Titanic at Southampton on April 10 1912 and was assigned first-class cabin C51. He spent much of the voyage chaperoning various unaccompanied women. He also spent time reading books he had found in the first-class library and discussing the US Civil War. On the night of the sinking, Gracie had gone to bed early, intending to get up the next morning to play squash. This letter is one of the finest of its type known After awaking to a jolt as the Titanic hit an iceberg, he helped women and children into lifeboats. As the ship began to sink, he managed to jump free and scramble on to an overturned collapsible boat from the ocean. Eventually, Gracie and others on the overturned collapsible were rescued by other Titanic passengers onboard a lifeboat, before being taken to R.M.S. Carpathia. Gracie's health never recovered from his ordeal, and he died eight months later. His book was published the following year. Mr Aldridge said: 'This letter is one of the finest of its type known, not only is it written by one of the most important first-class passengers on Titanic, Colonel Archibald Gracie. 'He survived the sinking clinging on to an upturned lifeboat and wrote one of the definitive books about the sinking shortly afterwards, The Truth About The Titanic. 'The letter itself contains the most prophetic line, 'It is a fine ship but I shall await my journey's end before I pass judgment on her'. 'Five days later Titanic was at the bottom of the North Atlantic.'
