A family-run bakery is going for gold at a major industry competition.
Customers of the Breadalbane Bakery and Tearoom in Aberfeldy have helped it to secure a coveted accolade. The popular business has made it to the finals of the Scottish Baker of the Year contest.
The bakery’s bridie and white loaf were both hailed by expert judges and have been selected in the top three of their region.
Now the Morris family will head en masse to the main event in Glasgow on May 17, when they will find out if they have won gold, silver or bronze.
Lynda Morris told The Courier they were “amazed” to have made it on to the shortlist for the awards.
Her parents, Bob and Maureen, took over the bakery several years ago and have been welcomed by the community.
She said: “Last year we were nominated for our fruit scones, which we were highly commended for.
“This year, our customers nominated us in four different categories and we were delighted to make it this far.”
Ms Morris revealed that the recipe for their award-winning bridies actually came from John Young, the previous owner of Breadalbane Bakery and a judge at the Scottish Baker competition.
She went on: “We are amazed we have got this far because none of us are from a baking background. We are really pleased that our customers think so highly of us because what they want is the most important thing.”
Alongside their fellow finalists, they will be judged on a national level and could be named one of Scotland’s best bakers.
Meanwhile, two other Perthshire bakeries also enjoyed success on judging day. The Tower Bakery and Murray’s of Perth were both highly commended for their sausage rolls and scotch pies respectively.
A spokesperson from the Tower Bakery said they were “delighted” with the accolade. In Falkirk, Marshall’s Family Bakers were also highly commended for their empire biscuit.
As part of the Scottish Baker of the Year awards, more than 20,000 customers from across Scotland voted for their favourite products.
A panel of 40 expert and independent judges spend a day scrutinising almost 600 scones, loaves, savoury items, morningrolls, cakes and biscuits to pick three finalists in each category.
Scottish Bakers chief executive Alan Clarke said: “We took delivery of hundreds of excellent products made by bakers right across Scotland and every single product was anonymously judged by a team of judges, led by head judge Robert Ross.
“Scottish bakers have once again done us proud.
“We were very impressed with the high standard of the products they produce every day and to get a highly commended is a recognition of the overall quality of the baking provided by the company,” added Mr Clarke.