Johnnie enjoying taste of success after being named world oatcake champion
A SHETLAND man is celebrating after picking up the main prize at the ‘World Oatcake Championships’.
Johnnie Wiseman, who now lives in Insch near Inverurie, said he was pleased – but somewhat surprised – to have won the event’s traditional category.
The championship took place at the weekend as part of the Tarland Food and Music Festival in Aberdeenshire.
Seventy nine year old Wiseman also came second in the savoury category for a cheese oatcake.
The judge praised the oatcakes for having “really good texture and flavour”, Wiseman said.
He added that the secret to a great oatcake – a Scottish staple – is using quality oatmeal and butter.
The Lerwick man, who went to live south around 13 years ago, has history, though.
He ran the old Bread Bin bakery at Sound in Lerwick many decades ago.
The business supplied hotels and the hospital, while it was also the first local bakery to have products stocked by the Co-op in Shetland.
In more recent years he has tended to bake items like bannocks and oatcakes at home, sending them to friends – including up to Shetland.
Wiseman said his baked goods are “always well received” – but after landing the world title it was fine to get the praise confirmed.
“Oatcake champion of the world – it’s not bad,” he laughed.
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