The Hairy Bikers have had their fair share of food adventures.
But as the celebrity chefs, also known as Si King and Dave Myers, prepare to line up at this year’s Taste of Grampian at P&J Live in Aberdeen this summer, they are keen to share their unforgettable experiences of Aberdeen’s finest baked good – the buttery.
In an exclusive chat, the duo speak about their shock at the calorie content of the renowned rowie as well as its irresistible attraction to the taste buds.
Welcome to Me and My Buttery, Si and Dave! So, how much contact have you had with our local delicacy?
Dave: There was the Strathbogie Bakery in Huntly and they did cheese butteries. We used to get the cheese butteries, split them, warm them, let them cool and then add more butter and Marmite.
We filmed a TV programme many years ago in Aberdeen and we cooked butteries on Union Street. When you realise what goes into butteries you think ‘woah’. No wonder we needed to do The Hairy Dieters!
Si: It is genius. I love it.
Yes, they are not known for their health qualities…
Dave: I think in 15 butteries there was a whole pack of lard and half a pack of butter.
We used to have three each!
Si: I remember taking one and looking at each other and saying ‘f*****g hell! We’ve been eating these most of our lives’. I remember saying I’ll never eat them again. Conveniently three days later you’d forget and say ‘fancy a buttery with a bit of Marmite? Get in!’.
Any other local food memories?
Dave: I remember the chip shop in Huntly (where Dave used to live). For another 5p, they would deep-fry your Scotch pie. It is hilarious thinking we just dip these things in batter and deep fry them. I’m quite partial to a Scotch pie – but not fried though!
They’d also put the deep-fried Scotch pie in a bap or a rowie. That was a body bender.
The Hairy Bikers will appear at Taste of Grampian on Saturday 4 June at P&J Live in Dyce, Aberdeen, for a full day of cooking.
Tickets for the festival are priced at £12 and can be purchased here.