Porridge perfection

People in Scotland have just ended the Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight, an annual celebration of the best that Scotland’s food and drink sector has to offer. One item that might not be fêted during this event is porridge, a homey staple that usually does not inspire much excitement. Connoisseurs of porridge might disagree with this statement, especially those who participate in a yearly porridge competition in the tiny village of Carrbridge, Scotland. There contestants from around the world vie for the Golden Spurtle trophy, presented to the winner each year for over a quarter of a century. Eater’s Clarissa Wei brings us the details on this interesting competition.

Judges are mainly drawn from the culinary industry, and in years past ranked each bowl according to various attributes. This year, however, the event is going virtual, with competitors each making a short video describing the offerings. People can choose to compete in either a the ‘traditional’ or ‘specialty’ category. The winner receives a “golden spurtle”, the name referring to both the traditional Scottish utensil used to stir porridge, as well as the shape of the trophy.

According to the event’s official website, The Porridge Committee will review the entries and post their favorites on the website and Facebook on World Porridge Day (10th October). The contestants selected for this honor will be awarded the title of Virtual Spurtler 2020 and will receive a small prize.

Photo of Fruity date: a world-champion porridge from Eat Right by Nick Barnard