Clootie McToot Dumpling’s SALSA Food Hygiene Accreditation
There is no clootie dumpling like a Clootie McToot clootie dumpling! The original recipe for a clootie dumpling dates as far back as 1747, and we take inspiration from this to bring our customers authentic clooties straight from our ancestor’s recipe books. A taste of true Scottish history is never too far away when you bite into an aromatic, fruity clootie dumpling from Clootie McToot.
Here at Clootie McToot, we keep authentic Scottish recipes alive. We are a family-run, women-led and disability inclusive business. Our passion for clooties comes from my grannie’s traditional clootie dumpling recipe. By passing on her recipe to other families, we hope to inspire them.
Families travel from wide and far to experience one of our clooties. Groups can even book one of our clootie workshops, where they will learn the history behind traditional clootie making and even make their own.
We are committed to bringing the traditional art of clootie dumpling making into the modern age with strict food safety procedures. That is why we have worked with SALSA’s leading food safety team to gain a new accreditation. Our customers can experience rich and aromatic clootie dumplings without worrying about age-old food hygiene practices.
What Is SALSA?
SALSA is an accreditation scheme. It stands for “Safe and Local Supplier Approval”. As the name suggests, this organisation works with small local businesses. For years now, locals have looked towards SALSA accreditations to give their favourite local artisan food the seal of approval.
It was founded by the four leading food trade associations in the UK. The NFU (National Farmer’s Union), FDF (food & drink federation), UKH (UKhospitality) and IFST (Institute of Food Science + Technology) all monitor SALSA. Their combined experience makes the SALSA Standard one of the most sought after certifications for small local businesses.
SALSA gives small food producers and processes an opportunity to gain a food safety certificate that has been designed by experts. By choosing to complete the SALSA accreditation, Clootie McToot Dumpling has shown that they go above and beyond the minimum standards set by food safety authorities.
Our New Accreditation
There are lots of different accreditation schemes and certificates for food producers in the UK. We chose SALSA because we share a lot of its core values. Their first value is safe food first, which is a principle we push to the forefront of our business.
To meet the SALSA Standard and gain our accreditation, we had to prove that we produce safe and legal food in front of a SALSA auditor. We are now proud to guarantee our customers the SALSA Standard. Our customers can expect the best practices in food preparation and hygiene when they purchase a clootie dumpling from us.
One of the reasons that we chose SALSA is that its team is committed to continually supporting us and ensuring we meet our own high standards. To maintain our SALSA approval, we will complete an annual audit with one of SALSA’s experts.
The SALSA Standard
When it comes to food safety, it is important to speak to the experts. At Clootie McToot HQ, we are committed to showing our customers that we go above and beyond. Food safety is at the forefront of everything that we do.
We are a family run business, but no one gets special treatment. Everyone who cooks clootie dumplings in our team has all the food safety qualifications they need to do so in a safe, hygienic manner. Our recent SALSA accreditation is just another layer of training for our cooks and another assurance for our customers.
The SALSA standard outlines how food businesses should handle, prepare, and cook foodstuffs. It was written by food safety experts who have years of experience in the industry. By combining their experience with industry-wide rules and regulations, they have created a foolproof plan for food safety.
Our new SALSA accreditation ensures that we not only meet current food laws and standards, but we also exceed them. SALSA promotes an ‘enhanced’ approach to food management which means that we stay head and shoulders above the competition.
What is a Clootie McToot Dumpling?
Clooties are a traditional Scottish dish that toes the line between sweet and savoury. They can be bought with fruit fillings, spicy overtones, or even a light tipple. Above all else, clooties are known for being full of fruit.
Clooties are often round in shape and look like a traditional Christmas pudding. We make each clootie by hand at Clootie McToot HQ, which means that each one is unique.
There are lots of different ways that families all over Scotland eat their clootie dumplings. Some people prefer to incorporate it into their full English breakfast and eat it alongside black pudding and sausages. Clooties, crackers, and cheese is also a popular option. Our family’s all-time favourite after tea treat is a slice of warm clootie dumpling with vanilla ice cream straight from the freezer.
Once we have combined all the ingredients we wrap them in a freshly boiled cloot (cloth) and sprinkle them with flour. We put the cloot, along with the clootie, in a large pot and boil them for a few hours. Voilà, we have transported a traditional clootie recipe from as far back as the 1700s and placed it on your dinner table.
Visit Us and Shop Clootie Dumplings
Clootie McToot HQ is nestled in the heart of Abernethy, Perth. It is there that we create authentic Scottish clooties. Sometimes we add a modern twist to bring grannie’s clootie recipe to the modern world. Our family-run business is keen to welcome people from all over the world. By practising the traditional art of clootie making, we can kindle the fire of passion for Scottish culture and cuisine.
There are all sorts of goodies in our Clootie McToot shop. Visitors can expect to find a wide range of clooties, local artisan products, and even workshop opportunities. If you are ever in the ‘home of Pictish Kings’, pop in and say hello.
If you prefer to purchase clooties in the comfort of your own home, do not worry. We are proud to offer our customers international shipping. This means that people from all over the world can experience a slice of Scottish culture. Simply enter your shipping address at checkout to view our delivery options.
