The Stornoway Black Pudding Campaign

[Bill Fernie]

A couple of years or so ago a campaign to protect the name of the Stornoway Black Pudding began.

A 96 year old woman Mor MacLeod has found herself become the star of a short BBC film on the matter - http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/8545.flv

An online petition that started in October 2008 has suddenly erupted into life again recently - http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stornowayblackpuddings/signatures?page=1

Stornoway butchers have huge reputation for their black puddings and export them around the world. The campaign has features in newspapers and elsewhere over the past years but now is reaching giddy heights in Europe as the Scottish Government has a consultation paper out for discussion on the matter -
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/12/08144650/1

Do you think the Stornoway Black Pudding Campaign warrants the attention of many government bodies, supermarkets, food groups etc as listed in the consultation document and then to go to debates in the European Union. Certainly its fame has been boosted by all the publicity. There may be more years before the EU reaches a final decision to protect the name or not.

Should it be protected under EU regulations like Champagne or Melton Mobray pies etc.

Should we all join in and sign the petition and help save the Stornoway Black Pudding from imposters using the designation "Stornoway Style" black pudding as apparently some Edinburgh butchers and others are now doing.

What about the Caithness Black pudding?

Do you like black pudding?
Have you ever tried to make it?
Do you eat it regularly?

In the end the campaign is about economic protection for a brand that the Stornoway butchers have built up and the jobs that go with all that.

So it may seem somewhat amusing but whilst we may all have wry smile and no doubt a few jokes or wry comments do you think its worth of support? If so sign the petition.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stornowayblackpuddings/signatures?page=1

Lets hear it for Black Pudding....................................

[Gizmo]

I love Black Pudding, and Black Pudding from Stornoway, and also from Orkney, is the best i have ever tasted.

[Ricco]

Love black pudding and have signed the petition. You didn't warn us about the 'donation' bit, Bill.

[Venture]

Stornoway black pudding should mean what it says. Having sampled it's delicious taste, I think it should be given the status it deserves. It has it's own unique taste.

In my book Harrold's in Wick come a close second. :)

[Corrie 3]

Love it, even though I know its not good for me.....Cormack's in Latheronwheel is the best you can get in Caithness but even that doesnt come up to the Stornomay stuff, its truly delicious, served with good Haggis and covered in Whisky sauce...making my mouth water just writing about it...

Petition signed !!

C3......

[gleeber]

I think they have a cheek. They complain about black pudding manufacturers using the word Stronaway to advertise their product whilst they hijack the black pudding brand to make it sound like real black pudding only comes from Stornaway. Its all a bit 'heelan' if you ask me. Let them call their product Stornaway blood pudding or something similar but dont let them hijack the black pudding brand.

[poppett]

Only black pudding I like is from Robert Grant in Golspie.

[pat]

As a B&B owner who lives in Stornoway and uses Stornoway black pudding I will put the opinion of most of my guests palates.
You must also remember there are 4 butchers in Stornoway all doing their own recipes - most of my guests prefer Charlie Barleys - Charles Macleod Butchers. The names of the other butchers are Willie John Macdonalds, Macleod and Macleod, Alex France.

Macleod and Macleod, too soft and not enough spice.
Alex France, just missing that something.
Willie John Macdonald, passable but prefer Charlie Barleys is always the answer.
Charlie Barley or Charles Macleod always comes out the better tasting and I frequently check with guests, not telling them which is which but this one always comes out top of their list. It is more expensive but worth the extra as far as I am concerned for my guests.
I will just continue to ensure my black pudding is from Charlie Barleys.

[Doreen]

Bridleway Farm at Gills make the best black pudding ever and because i have to eat gluten free he tried it out making it andit is lovely and he also does gluten free sasages and burgers.

[sids]

Was somebody trying to pirate Stornoway black pudding?

[Crackeday]

Tried charley barleys its good but its not a patch on the butcher at latheron wheel, now THAT is a real Black pudding.
Im not a lover of black pudding per se but I can eat the latheron one no bother its nicely spiced, good consistency and very very tasty.
Harolds- Hit or miss as seems to be with their meat at the mo(never the same twice)
George harpers is good as well but Latheron tops it for me.

[phon]

Bew's, the Thurso butcher, makes a lovely black pudding. It is very similar in flavour to the Stornaway black pudding which I can buy locally in Thurso, but Bew's can be more moist after cooking - I prefer it!

[sids]

Forget stupid Stornoway black pudding. In fact boycott it!

Save Donald Cormack's in Latheron and the Wick and Thurso butchers' black puddings!

[scorrie]

Forget stupid Stornoway black pudding. In fact boycott it!

Save Donald Cormack's in Latheron and the Wick and Thurso butchers' black puddings!

Quite right!!

I always say "Support your local Pudding"

For that reason I will be voting Councillor Smith at the next election ;)

[Whitewater]

Interesting debate. Firstly the name Stornoway Blackpudding should be protected. It is only right to do this as the fake ones can ruin the genuine ones reputation, and anyway it should be a recognised crime trying to pass off an inferior product as genuine. The other blackpuddings could be good, but if they are not made in Stornoway they should not be allowed to use the name, but as Pat has said Charlie Barleys is the best, so we have to think about which butcher trades under the name "Stornoway Black Pudding"
I like blackpudding and have sampled many good and some disgusting ones over the years. I think I must now try some of Donald Cormacks in Latheron Wheel, they sounds pretty good from write-ups here, and as Scorrie says we should support our local pudding.
I think I did sign the petition sometime in the past.



As pat from Stornoway tells us Charlie Barleys

[orkneycadian]

Should it be protected under EU regulations like Champagne or Melton Mobray pies etc.

The less EU involvement in our food the better. Once its on their radar, they will then determine that black pudding cannot be made in Scotland as our health and hygiene standards mysteriously don't come up to scratch, and we will therefore have to import morcilla from Spain instead.

[dafi]

I am a well experienced traditional butcher and have spent more than my fair share of time up to me oxters in buckets of fresh warm blood stirring it so it wont congeal !!.

What I would like to know ( having never tried it) is what is it about Stornaway black pud that’s any different to other recipes from around Scotland, or England for that matter.?

[pat]

I believe Charlie Barleys use sheep or pigs blood, most of the other makers of black pudding use cows blood, believe Charlie Baleys has more spice in it too.
Know that all the butchers in Stornoway send Black Puddings all over UK everyday, have never asked if they send abroad - just assumed with all the animal diseases that it would be illegal to import it in most countries.
Don't think Stornoway Black Pudding is any different but it does seem to win awards at the Black Pudding Tasting Championships, think that is what they are trying to trade on.
Everyone has their own paticular taste so as far as I am concerned - folk vote with their feet, if they like it they come back if they don't they stay away.

[dafi]

Thats interesting Pat, i would like to try some and see what like!

[Ricco]

Quite right!!

I always say "Support your local Pudding"

For that reason I will be voting Councillor Smith at the next election ;)

This is the best comment - always support your local producer. That is how we get variety, quality and value.

[sandyr1]

Was at a Burns Supper last nite, here of course, and it was announced there is an on-line campaign to allow the Scottish Haggis into the United States.
Apparently for some unknown reason, Scottish Haggis is not allowed into the U.S. What a shame/ anyone know anything about it?
Just saw that Scottish Haggis was banned some 20 years ago as the Yanks didn't like the ingredients....there may be a compromise.
Gosh, they are going to sell Haggis Nachos!

[opel]

i'v had stornoway black pudding alot o times but Cormack's in Latheronwheel is the best i have ever had.

[canadagirl]

The Americans are worried about the sheep internal bits, I'm not clear if they're allowed to make their own. It's the whole scrapie/BSE thing. Given what's been fed to north american animals in the past 50 years it seems overdoing it a bit.