Red letter day planned for black pudding

• Call for annual National Black Pudding Day
• Craft butchers spearhead celebrations
• March 18, 2024, earmarked for day of national recognition

It has gone from peasant food to super food. And now the humble fare is about to be celebrated in the first ever National Black Pudding Day.

March 18, 2024, has been earmarked by National Craft Butchers and Scottish Craft Butchers for nationwide acknowledgement of the blood sausage, whose origins date back to the height of the Roman empire and ancient Greece.

The decision to celebrate black pudding with its own national day follows a call for the foodstuff to be awarded similar acclaim as its famous cousin – the haggis.

Leading the call is Scotland’s current Black Pudding Champion, butcher Nigel Ovens of McCaskie’s Butchers and Café in Wemyss Bay.

“Black pudding is one of the most important butchers’ traditional staples in Scotland and it has now evolved into a gourmet ingredient in fine dining establishments as well as on our family breakfast tables,” he said.

“People should be proud of this heritage food and celebrate it in style,” he said. “As with haggis, every butcher has their own recipe for black pudding, and every country has its own specific version of the blood sausage.

“At McCaskie’s we have shed blood, sweat and tears over many years to perfect our championship-winning black pudding,” added Nigel, “and we now produce up to 1,000 lbs each week, using our own recipe, to supply customers across the UK. Although divisive because of its blood-based recipe, black pudding is now enjoying superfood status and we should be shouting about it from the rooftops,” he added. “A national day of recognition will bring butchers and the public together in a celebration of this food hero.”

Scottish Craft Butchers President George Jarron agreed that black pudding was worthy of a dedicated focus by manufacturers, suppliers, cafes, restaurants and customers.

“Scottish Craft Butchers play a huge part in the supply of black pudding to the nation,” he said, “so it’s fitting that we should spearhead the first ever National Black Pudding Day.

“Nigel’s call to action will provide the springboard for people across the country to celebrate the Scottish version of an international favourite and I look forward to seeing what plans we can put in place for the first ever celebration of its kind.”

The Scottish Black Pudding Champion’s call for a national day to recognise the blood sausage has gathered support across Great Britain, with National Craft Butchers adding their weight to next year’s event.

David Gigli, President of the National Craft Butchers, said they were delighted to join in the celebration of black pudding by adopting the national day across the rest of Great Britain.

“We have 500 members in England and Wales who will be encouraged to promote and celebrate this breakfast staple and core craft butcher product,” he said.

“It’s only right that the whole of the country should get behind a National Black Pudding Day and turn the spotlight on this great foodstuff. We will be looking at special events and promotions to help make March 18 a special day for black pudding lovers everywhere.”