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My day as a judge at the World Buttery Championship in Aberdeen

After having a bite of 14 different rowies, I am definitely in need of a buttery break.

Food and drink journalist Joanna Bremner attended the World Buttery Championship as one of the five judges.
Food and drink journalist Joanna Bremner attended the World Buttery Championship as one of the five judges.

It’s safe to say that after a day judging the World Buttery Championship in Aberdeen, I never want to look at another buttery again.

Not for another week, at least.

But that’s not because the butteries – or rowies, as I usually call them – were bad.

In fact, they were some of the best I’ve ever had.

But after having a bite of 14 different ones… I am definitely in need of a buttery break.

The World Buttery Championship, organised by Martin Gillespie of Slow Food Aberdeen City and Shire, was a means of celebrating the traditional method for making butteries.

Foodie couple Martin and Lesley Gillespie organised the World Buttery Championship.

As such, there were strict rules about who could enter.

And ingredients were examined closely by Martin’s wife and food educator, Lesley.

Palm oil, used in place of lard in some modern butteries, is severely frowned upon by the couple, and others who want to champion the old recipe.

The competition hasn’t taken place since 2018, due to various factors including the Covid-19 pandemic and organiser Martin’s ill-health.

I arrived at North East Scotland College (Nescol) on a bitterly cold morning, intrigued about what was to come.

Just how competitive will the bakers get? Will they be throwing flour at one another, nicking each other’s lard, or ‘accidentally’ knocking over butteries in the oven?

Nervous World Buttery Championship competitors

The competition was split into two categories, with retail in the morning and home bakers in the afternoon. This would give everyone a fair chance, rather than pitting granny bakers against those who make them day in day out.

The bakers soon started to sift in and I was pleasantly surprised to see so many familiar faces.

Including Iryna Porfilova, a Ukrainian refugee who has fallen in love with butteries since she came to Scotland.

Also among their number was Shona Jamieson of The Highlanders Bakehouse near Ballater, and reigning buttery champion Mark Barnett.

The retail bakers at the World Buttery Championship 2024.

There’s also Arlene Mitchell of The Gladstone Co in Peterhead, and Findlay Petrie, the only Aberdeen contestant from Truffelos.

There is a more friendly atmosphere than I anticipated. It’s great to see them all smiling and encouraging one another.

Mark, from New Pitsligo, won the previous competition back in 2018.

But despite this win, he was very nervous on Thursday morning – on the back of a sleepless night.

“I’m nervous, but I didn’t think I would be,” he says.

“I’d prefer it was one o’clock and I was on the way home.

“But it’ll be a good bit of fun.”

Mark says “luck” was the secret behind his win last time round. Would luck be on his side again?

‘Butteries kept me alive’

The clock on the wall reminds us all of various cooking programmes, and with its bright red numbers no doubt strikes fear into the bakers.

But by 8.41am they’re off.

Fellow judge Aileen Brown, who came all the way from New Deer yesterday, gave me some tips on judging.

“Knowing the textures and flavours is key,” she says.

“But everybody’s different. I like a salty and crispy buttery.”

Butteries are very important to Aileen.

She says: “I was going through chemo ten years ago, and butteries were the thing that kept me alive.

“That’s 100% true.

“Because they’re so full of fat content. I really lived on butteries.”

Iryna calmly works on her butteries. Would they be the winners?

Reinvigorated by the power behind these tasty bakes, I watch the bakers work away and wonder if their butteries could save lives too.

I chat to the bakers here and there when they’re free, but I don’t want to get in the way of their baking either.

What if my distraction causes them to spill or drop their mixture? I don’t want to become the Noel Fielding of the World Buttery Championship.

I steal a chance to chat to Iryna once her rowies are in the oven.

She says: “I told you before that I wasn’t nervous… but now I really am.

“But it has been a nice experience for me.”

The judging process

We, the judges, are directed to a different room once it’s time for the butteries to start coming out of the oven.

It’s a blind taste test, so if we can link the look of the butteries to the contestant, that wouldn’t make things very fair.

Now we wait.

The anticipation builds as we wonder who might produce the best buttery.

Would it be reigning champ Mark, or underdog Iryna? Or Shona, who also took part in the 2018 competition?

Once the butteries arrive we rank them each out of five on consistency, appearance, texture, and, of course, taste.

My fellow judges Julia Bryce and Aileen Brown try out some of the retail butteries.

Somehow, the flavours are incredibly different.

There are so many factors which affect their bake.

Like the ratio of butter and lard they use, how long they prove the buttery, and even the way they fold – or cut – the dough.

And judging them is no mean feat.

Some of the butteries may taste great, but have an unappetising texture, or vice versa.

We score them individually and total up the scores. And the results surprised everyone, especially the winner.

Who won the retail competition?

The reigning buttery champion, Mark Barnett, comes in first place.

Then, it’s Iryna as runner-up, and third is Shona.

Mark is clearly very surprised by his win, and can’t stop grinning and shaking his head.

His butteries took the longest to prove, so perhaps that’s the secret.

“I was happy with my bake,” he tells me, “but I’m really surprised.

Iryna Porfilova from Bakes You Knead, Forres, came in second place. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson.

“The other butteries looked phenomenal – way better than mine.”

Iryna is overjoyed too, and gives me a huge hug.

“I’m so incredibly proud of her,” adds Chris, Iryna’s boss.

“This was due to her sheer determination. She’s so good.

“She makes them every single day.”

Time for the home bakers

The nerves continue as the afternoon session of the competition begins.

There’s a huge age range of contestants here, from 27-year-old Stuart Sproul who’s only made a few rowies before, to 85-year-old Doreen Boyne, who’s been making them since she was a teen.

Other contestants include Andrew Grant, Jane Hay, Coleen Reid, Jacqui Cameron, Leigh Brannigan and Barry Gauld.

There’s an even lighter atmosphere in the afternoon competition. It’s clear these home bakers are here for fun.

Stuart and Andrew strike up such a quick friendship I assume that they know each other – but they’d only met that day.

Stuart and Andrew were both laughing away together like old chums. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson.

Jane Hay, says: “I’m feeling a bit nervous for today.

“I’ve never done a competition before, so this is my first time.

“I’m excited too though!”

I ask Jane if she thinks she might win today.

“Oh no,” she laughs.

“I don’t think so, no!

“There are a lot of more experienced rowie makers here, but I’ll have a go anyway, and see how I get on.”

Jane shapes her butteries for the competition. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson.

As it turns out, Jane only makes 12 butteries.

That’s the number that must be provided to the judges during the World Buttery Championship in Aberdeen.

She’s definitely panicking by the time she’s putting these in the oven. The other bakers make several spare butteries, so that they can pick the best ones.

This also means that Jane can’t have a taste of her buttery to know if she’s happy with it.

It’s a nervous waiting game for Jane as we, the judges, retire for the second and final time of the day.

The selection of rowies from the home bakers is definitely less consistent in texture, appearance and taste.

But they are still very tasty.

We rank them again and this time, the scores are even closer.

‘The first buttery batch I’ve ever baked’

First place goes to Jane Hay.

Second place is Coleen Reid, and third is Stuart Sproul.

“I’m super surprised,” says Stuart.

“I’ve only ever baked a handful before, and this is the first full batch I’ve ever baked!

“I was just proud I didn’t burn anything, so it’s a bit of a whirlwind.

“But I’ve learned a lot, and made some really nice friends here.

“I did this for my dad because he loves butteries.”

World Buttery Champion home bake winner Jane Hay. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson.

Jane is full of giggles when I ask her how she’s feeling.

“I am absolutely delighted,” she says.

“I was in such a panic! How stupid of me, I should have made double and picked the best ones.

“So I absolutely had to make it work.

“I’ll be making rowies every week now!”

The day was full of fun and appreciation for this traditional recipe. Everyone was in great spirits.

And although I’m going to need to avoid rowies for a while, I’ve definitely got a new appreciation for the work that goes into making them, and what they mean to people in our area.

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