Featuring the biggest ever international line up yet, the 26th annual World Porridge Making Championships will take place in the picturesque Highland village on Saturday 12 October.
The 30-strong line up includes competitors from Sweden, Germany, Russia, Ireland, Norway, France, Poland, Wales, Scotland, England, Belgium and Canada.
The competitors will include last years joint winners Calle Myrsell and Per Carlsson, who both hail from Sweden, 2018 Young Person's winner Lynn Munro and previous champions Chris Young and Izhar Khan.
Last year's winners included joint victors Swedes Calle Myrsell and Per Carlsson (centre). Picture: James Ross
Also taking part is chef Robbie Evans from Muckrach Country House in Grantown, 18-year-old enthusiast and blogger Madelaine Harris, author and travel writer Karen Burns-Booth and the owner of the first ever porridge bar in the Benelux region.
The title of World Porridge Making Champion is awarded to the contestant deemed to have made the best traditional porridge using just three ingredients - oatmeal, water and salt.
Competitors can use pinhead, course, medium or fine oatmeal. Entries are judged for appearance, texture, colour and taste. Competitors may choose to soak their oatmeal in advance, but no prior cooking is allowed.
The judges for this year's event include top Scottish chef Colin Bussey and patron chef of the Auld Alliance in Kingussie, Lydie BocQuillion.
There is also an additional prize for the best speciality porridge, where oatmeal can be combined with any other ingredients. The current speciality winner is Chris Young, owner of Perthshire Oatcakes, who wowed the judges with his Scottish tapas platter.
The World Porridge Making Championships is organised by Carrbridge Community Council, and is sponsored by Hamlyns of Scotland, producers of Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal and Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats.
In addition to the Golden Spurtle, this year’s event will see the awarding of the Silver Spurtle for a separate young people’s competition for 8-16 year olds, sponsored by Centurion Plumbing Services.
Charlie Miller of Carrbridge Community Council and the organising committee said: “The World Porridge Making Championships continue to go from strength to strength, and we look forward to welcoming porridge aficionados and their supporters from all over the world to Carrbridge for this year’s competition.”
Alan Meikle, managing director of sponsors Hamlyn’s of Scotland, added: “As ever we look forward to tasting the traditional porridges, as well as trying all the different dishes in the speciality competition, where the competitors’ creativity and flair never ceases to amaze me.”
First ever joint winners of World Porridge Making Championships take trophy back to Sweden
