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  1. #1
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    dirk diggler's Avatar
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    Scots dad is big hit in Thailand with cafe serving up Aberdeen butteries, fried Mars

    Scots dad is big hit in Thailand with cafe serving up Aberdeen butteries, fried Mars bars and Lorne square sausage rolls


    Jackie Gerrard gives locals in the far east a taste of the north-east.

    dailyrecord
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    A Scots dad is serving up Aberdeen butteries, deep fried Mars bars and steak pies to hungry expats at a cafe in Thailand.
    Jackie Gerrard runs the Hot Bread Shop in Songkhla, Thailand, and has Scots punters queuing up to sample a taste of home.
    The 37-year-old, from Aberdeen, has even turned the locals’ tastebuds after transporting the Granite City’s famous rolls from the north-east to the far East.
    He quickly added mince and tatties, square sausage and black pudding rolls and chips, cheese and beans to his menu after demands grew in the tiny town.


    After moving to Thailand in 2009 when he was made redundant from a major oil and gas firm, Jackie was introduced to his dad’s neighbour who helped kick start the idea.
    He said: “I moved to Songkhla, a small oil and gas town, in 2009 when I was made redundant from my job with Schlumberger in Perth, Australia due to the 2008 credit crunch.




    They had a cafe before lockdown but now make the bread from home (Image: Handout)READ MORE

    “My dad Tam was also an oil worker and had been living here since the late 90s, so I came to live with him and my two half-brothers Andrew and Michael.
    "There are no tourists in Songkhla but due to the nature of the industry there is an abundance of expat workers, many from the north- east of Scotland.



    Battered Mars bars and ice cream are served up (Image: @HotBreadShopSongkhla)READ MORE

    “Everyone wants a taste of home.
    “Our bakery, The Hot Bread Shop, was originally opened by a Kiwi oil worker named Malcolm McPherson, who was my Dad’s neighbour.
    “When his work took him elsewhere, he sold it to their other neighbour who then sold it to me.”
    A chance meeting to purchase the shop started romance for Jackie, when he met his future partner Tata who now cooks alongside him.
    At the time Jackie had just landed a job in South Korea with a five week rotation but said purchasing the shop was a dream of his.
    He continued: “When The Hot Bread Shop was up for sale and we decided to buy it.



    Steak pies have proved a hit in Thailand (Image: Handout)“This was in 2014, we used all the money we had to buy it and even borrowed cash from a friend.
    “There was a lot to do and little money so we slowly worked away at it.
    “As soon as I got the keys, I decided to have a specials menu with various Scottish favourites. Whichever meals sold well would be added permanently.



    Scots favourites like mince and tatties are for sale (Image: @HotBreadShopSongkhla)READ MORE

    “I then added Thai food to the menu so expats could come in with their friends, partners and colleagues for a bite to eat.
    Jackie’s specials have included Macaroni Pies, Mince and tatties, Scotch eggs, Lorne square sausage and black pudding, battered mars bars, chips, cheese and beans and the famous Aberdeen butteries.



    Sausage and mash is also available (Image: @HotBreadShopSongkhla)READ MORE

    The delicacy- made for fishermen going offshore- are also known as 'rowies' in the north-east.
    Jackie said: "We started getting hints from customers who would say things like, ‘How long is the wait for a couple of rowies’ or ‘just a rowie n jam please’ so we decided to start making them.



    They also make Aberdeen 'butteries' for the oil workers (Image: Handout)


    Favourites from home are for sale in Thailand (Image: @HotBreadShopSongkhla)

    "The first problem was that we couldn’t source the lard, so we have to render our own.
    "Then they would come out too crispy, so we played around with cooking times and temperatures until we got it right and the orders started coming in.
    "My wife Tata is the genius behind the cooking and baking.
    "I would bring the ideas and the recipes and she would make the magic happen."
    The couple now have two sons and with work pressure mounting they decided to move the bakery business to their own home with business booming during the lockdown.



    A full breakfast roll with square sausage (Image: @HotBreadShopSongkhla)TOP NEWS STORIES TODAY

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    He added that people across Thailand were asking about his Scots snacks.
    He said: "We currently have orders for well over 100 rowies that we will bake this week and distribute locally and 770kms to Hua Hin, 1100km to Pattaya, 1,270kms to Trat and 1,520kms to Udon Thani.
    "It's quite exciting times for the humble rowie.
    "I will experiment with some local flavourings to see if I can win over the locals.
    "Perhaps add some Tom Yum paste or some Thai Green Curry. You never know."


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  2. #2
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    Shutree's Avatar
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    All looks excellent. Definitely made me feel hungry.

  3. #3
    Making people dance. :-)
    Edmond's Avatar
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    Good stuff Dirk.

    We do love a good ol' success story on TD.



    Just look how Loy Toy's pie empire is revered across the board.



    Seriously though, good on ya

  4. #4
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    Just added to the list of why I'd like to visit that area...one fine post-COVID day.

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    The problem with the square sausage is that it isn't square. It's a sausage cut in half.

    You should make your own sausage meat and make it into squares for authenticity.

  6. #6
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Nice work, dirk.

  7. #7
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    dirk diggler's Avatar
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    Thanks guys.

    The reporter just grabbed some pictures off our fb page. We did make proper lorne/square sausage, been a while though, it's really easy. Don't forget the nutmeg.

  8. #8
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dirk diggler View Post
    The reporter just grabbed some pictures off our fb page.
    It is quite remarkable that a reporter for the Daily Record doesn't know what square sausage is.

    I suppose all these fucking millennials just shop at Tesco and not their local butcher.

  9. #9
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    Another fine sausage report. You can't have too many.

  10. #10
    I'm in Jail

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    The humble mince n tatties. Always a crowd pleaser

  11. #11
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    Great stuff.

    Love a bit of comfort food.

  12. #12
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    Thai Pom's Avatar
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    This place was a life saver when I lived in Songkhla.

    As well as great cooked food they used to make "customised" sandwiches using their bread. The hanger could not of survived without them.

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