Maclean's and Ashers shortlisted for award at World Championship Scotch Pie Awards

THE shortlist for the The World Championship Scotch Pie Awards has been announced and two Forres bakeries are in the mix.

Maclean's and Ashers – which is Nairn-formed but has a shop on Forres High Street – have made the shortlist for the 2023 award.

A day of judging was held in Dunfermline, with around 500 pies from 78 of the best butchers, bakers and other pie makers tasted by 60 pie professionals.

There are several awards – from scotch pie to football pies and savouries, macaroni pies, steak pies, sausage rolls, cold savouries, hot savouries, vegetarian savouries, haggis savouries, bridies and apple pies.

But the most prestigious of all is the Scotch Pie category, with the winner to be declared world champion.

That award – along with all best in category awards –will be presented at a prestigious awards lunch on January 24, 2023 at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld by TV personality and long-term pie award presenter Carol Smillie.

Scottish Bakers organises the annual competition to shine a light on the craft skills pie makers demonstrate day in and day out.

Chief Executive of Scottish Bakers Alasdair Smith said: “Announcing the shortlist is always a great moment as it’s the first time our entrants get an inkling that their pies have been judged as amongst the best in the land.

"It’s always great to be recognising products which have been lovingly made from scratch from locally sourced ingredients, freshly made daily by skilled craftspeople.”

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