Competitive porridge-making? Is that a thing? Yes!
Don't be fooled. Like many simple things — think a classic cup of coffee, a loaf of rustic bread, an austere line drawing, or a rudimentary piano arpeggio — to execute it expertly, porridge can be more complicated than it seems. Porridge (what many in America call oatmeal) has three ingredients — oats, water, and salt. (Okay, lots of people include milk, too, but all add-ons and alterations are a separate discussion!) So, how can a whole town in Scotland turn porridge-making into an annual competition? That is part of the question behind "The Golden Spurtle," a charming, quirky and very Scottish 2025 documentary about the competition by the same name held in the Highlands town of Carrbridge each autumn.
The documentary has a whiff of "The Great British Baking Show" — a cast of playfully eccentric mostly elderly characters competing against one another in a picturesque rural village. Fans of classic British sitcoms like "The Vicar of Dibley" or "Doc Martin" that play up the peculiar dynamics of smalltown living will appreciate the real-life flavor of Carrbridge and its caste of volunteers who help make the The Golden Spurtle competition a reality.
It's not just the Carrbridge locals who are obsessed with oatmeal. As it happens, chefs and breakfast-eaters all over the world are passionate about their porridge. And pros have developed their own set of porridge-making fundamentals: as one contestant says in the documentary, "Let the oats sing!" But what kind of oats does one use? And what kind of water? All of these factors are guarded over by the competitors like proprietary secrets.
American viewers can view the documentary through many of the popular streaming platforms. And you can learn about where to watch it here.
The rise of the The Golden Spurtle competition, started in 1994, coincides roughly with the growing awareness of the ways that eating oats and oatmeal can improve one's health. In 1997, oats became the first food to earn the Food and Drug Administration's health claim label. That designation is partly because oats contain a type of soluble fiber that reduces blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Regular consumption of oats can assist with weight-management, as well. Eating whole grains like oats has been found to be important in gut health as well.
The Scots have known for centuries that oats are hearty and good, with oats showing up in classic desserts, fried-fish recipes, oatcakes, and other settings. Every Scottish cookbook will several dishes that feature the grain in one role or another.
The competition has become something of an institution. Several celebrity chefs, including our friend Coinneach MacLeod, otherwise known as The Hebridean Baker, have appeared as both contestants and judges at The Golden Spurtle. Hamlyns Oatmeal, one of several fine Scottish oatmeal brands that we carry, has been the sole sponsor of the event.
If you're not already an avowed oatmeal enthusiast, you might have a number of questions, the first of which could be "what is a spurtle?" A spurtle is a porridge-stirring kitchen tool, sort of like a wooden spoon without the spoon at the end, or like a mini magic wand, or a caber shrunk down to the size of a conductor's baton. You get the idea — a pointy thing! The idea is to be able to keep the porridge from getting overcooked and stuck in those corners of your pot, thereby maintaining a delightfully smooth consistency once it's cooked. If you're really interested, we sell them!
For those planning a trip Scotland, or thinking about entering the competitive porridge circuit — the next Golden Spurtle event is scheduled for Oct. 3, 2026. You can find out more about the competition and about other attractions in and around Carrbridge here.
"The Golden Spurtle" documentary is entertaining and endearing, even for those are more of the Full Scottish Breakfast or Bacon Butty school of morning fare. You don't need to be passionate about porridge to enjoy the movie, but you might walk away with new ideas about how to make the creamiest bowl of oatmeal when you're through.