Porridge contest stirs up impressive final

Published on Sunday 12 October 2008 22:05

HAD Goldilocks visited the Highlands, she would have found no difficulty picking a porridge that was "just right".

It would have been made with medium, organic Highland oatmeal and water drawn from 100 feet below ground.

Those were the very qualities that allowed Ian Bishop to win the 15th annual World Porridge Making Championship yesterday.

Just 15 porridge makers from around the world were invited to compete this year, drawing a crowd of up to 1,000 to the Inverness-shire village of Carrbridge (population 708). Men and women of all ages and backgrounds came from far and wide to show off their skills, but it was local man Mr Bishop who took the coveted Golden Spurtle trophy for the best traditional porridge using just oatmeal and water.

A local mountain-bike guru and cross-country ski school proprietor, he said the secret was water from a bore hole he made 16 years ago, tapping 100ft down into an underground stream.

The 62-year-old father-of-two said: "It takes endurance for the event, enthusiasm and practice. I have porridge every day. Ten minutes, start to finish, and you're ready. Mine is as pure as pure would be."

This year's contest was judged by George McIvor, chairman of the Master Chefs of Great Britain; Colin Bussey, executive head chef of Cameron House Hotel, Loch Lomond; and Tom Lewis, head chef at the Monachyle Mhor Hotel in Perthshire.

Head judge George McIvor said: "We were really impressed by the five finalists. But Ian impressed us the most."