A cooking contest in which entrants compete to be crowned the World Tattie Scone Champion is returning to a three-day food and drink festival and this year has a spin off event.
The World Tattie Scone Championships is now in its eleventh year and the main event, sponsored by Oakwood Cookery School will take place at Taste of Nairn on Saturday, May 10.
However, the town’s secondary school also wants a slice of the action and will be hosting its own version of the competition ahead of the main event.
The World Tattie Scone Championship was launched in 2013 at Piping at Forres and was held there for six years.
However, Oakwood Cookery School near Elgin and Forres Events Limited who organised Piping at Forres have since given it to Taste of Nairn.
Elaine Sutherland, owner of the Oakwood Cookery School said she was delighted the competition is still running and that youngsters are now involved.
She said:
“It’s great to be working with the organisers of Taste of Nairn again and we’re looking forward to seeing all the entrants get cooking and coming up with their own twist on the tattie scone.
“The contest is open to anyone whether they are experienced or not.
“In fact, in the past, we have had people win, who have literally turned up on the day, with no experience, but have made the best tattie scone.
“We are also delighted that Nairn Academy is getting involved and is hosting its own version of the competition.
“Hopefully some of the pupils taking part at school will be inspired to come along on May 10 to give it a go.”
The aim of the competition is to make a tattie scone using a set recipe with mashed potatoes and flour, plus the contestant’s own magic ingredient which they bring in with them.
Tables and stoves are set up for contestants to compete in heats.
The most tasty and imaginative scone will be chosen as the winner.
In 2024, the winner was Tracy Chalmers who wowed the judges with her honey and mustard creation.
Tracy will return as a judge this year, alongside Gary Grant another former champion and Tracy Cameron, from Scotland Food and Drink.
Elaine said that over the years, she has seen various ‘secret ingredients’ being used and explained what the judges are looking for.
“We have seen anything and everything from people using prawns to raspberries.
“It’s such fun to take part in.
“It might just be that the winning tattie scone is just so innovative, there is no choice but to choose that one, or it may be that it’s a fairly basic recipe, but it’s cooked to perfection.”
There is no fee to enter the Tattie Scone Championships which is supported by Carr’s Flour and Albert Bartlett potatoes and participants can be aged 12 upwards.
Organising the Nairn Academy contest is home economics teacher Michael Rankin.
He said:
“We are delighted to be running our own version of the Tattie Scone Contest.
“It will be our S3 pupils who are taking part in the challenge, and we think it will be a lot of fun.
“It’s actually a very basic thing to do, but what we are looking forward to, is seeing which ingredients the pupils pick to make their scones stand out from their peers.”
The World Tattie Scone Championships will take place on May 10 in the Nairn Community and Arts Centre which will also host a food and drink market, food and cocktail demonstrations and a ‘have-a-go’ room with the omelette challenge, decorate a cake, guess he ingredient and DIY fruit kebab activities.”
Taste of Nairn is being organised by Nairn BID and is supported by title sponsor the Golf View Hotel and Spa.
