Top 50 2014

9

7–

Se p

r

m be

te

IN

AS

SO

CI

AT I

O

N

W

IT

H

A SPECIAL REPORT FROM

With thanks to our sponsors & supporters Harrods Trophy Supreme Champion 2014 Ambient Product of the Year

Best Speciality from the South West

Speciality Producer of the Year

Best Welsh Speciality

Best Imported Speciality

Woman & Home Great Taste VIP Award

Best Speciality from the Midlands and East Anglia

Best Speciality from the North of England

Best Scottish Speciality

Best Speciality from London & the South East

Best Speciality from Northern Ireland

Great Taste Shop of the Year

Best Irish Speciality

Lifetime Achievement

Nigel Barden Heritage Award

Feel Good Food Small Artisan Producer of the Year

Deli & Farm Shop Signature Dish

Charcuterie Product of the Year

great taste 2014 With 10,000 products tested this year by around 400 independent judges, Great Taste is the UK’s biggest and best-respected food award scheme.

But with over 2,531 products earning a onestar award alone this year, and nearly 700 earning two stars, it can be hard to know which ones to try first.

So the Guild of Fine Food – organiser of Great Taste and publisher of Fine Food Digest – has made that task easier by naming the Top 50 Foods: the highestscoring products from the elite group of just 153 products that took the ultimate three-star award.

You’ll find them all in this special supplement to Fine Food Digest, the monthly magazine of the speciality food trade.

Nifty fifty

The Top 50 represents just 0.5% of the 10,000 entries judged this year

‘It’s like the ultimate fantasy football team – but with food’ We asked top Great Taste judging coordinator NICK BAINES to reflect on the cream of this year’s crop

I

’ve been judging and coordinating at the Great Taste awards for several years now.

The ‘judging season’, as I like to call it, stretches out a little bit further each year. More food and drink, more judging days, more inches on the waist. But, what can I say? I’m a hungry young chap and I relish it.

Having coordinated in excess of 30 days again this year – working with a team of judges to collate their feedback to the producers and join in their decision-making – it’s been great to see some of those foods that got us hot under the collar in the judging room make it onto this

list of Top 50 Foods.

I noticed there was a lot of very good quality meat entered this year, as you will too on the following pages. I do love a bit of pork belly and thankfully there were some amazing samples that came through, not to mention the barrage of award-winning bacons, sausages, lamb joints and steaks.

There was a noticeable uplift in marshmallows this year too and a great diversity of honeys that are vibrant, floral and distinctive.

Ice creams and sorbets continue to be innovative and playful in their flavour

combinations and there are many I have my eye out for in the shops.

What always puts the Top 50 into perspective for me is that it represents the best 0.5% of foods entered. For farm shop and deli owners, it not only provides a go-to list of the best products, but serves as a great marketing tool for them to use too.

I know that by making it to this list, the foods are faultless and there’s no possible way to make them better. It’s kind of like the ultimate fantasy football team, but with food. And it’s all available for me to go out and buy, just as soon as I shift my ‘judging season’ weight.

EDITORIAL editorial@finefoodworld.co.uk Editor: Mick Whitworth Assistant editor: Michael Lane Art director: Mark Windsor Contributors: Nick Baines, Richard Faulks

ADVERTISING advertise@finefoodworld.co.uk Sales manager: Sally Coley Advertisement sales: Becky Stacey, Ruth Debnam Published by Great Taste Publications Ltd and the Guild of Fine Food Ltd GENERAL ENQUIRIES Tel: 01747 825200 Fax: 01747 824065 info@finefoodworld.co.uk www.finefoodworld.co.uk Guild of Fine Food, Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Rd, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK Fine Food Digest is published 11 times a year and is available on subscription for £45pa inclusive of post and packing.

Printed by: Blackmore, Dorset, UK © Great Taste Publications Ltd and The Guild of Fine Food Ltd 2014. Reproduction of whole or part of this magazine without the publisher’s prior permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations.

3

K T O P 50 & MADE THE U

Joy on a plate.

For generations now, our family has been making a real commitment to taste and excellence, hoping to help you add a bit of magic to every mealtime. www.jameswhelanbutchers.com | info@jameswhelanbutchers.com 4

great taste 2014 Blackcurrant with Juniper Dark Truffle

RIBBLESDALE CHEESE

WHITE RABBIT CHOCOLATIERS

www.ribblesdalecheese. wordpress.com

www.whiterabbitchocolate.co.uk

White Rabbit Chocolatiers has a slew of Great Taste awards to its name and this year it adds its outstanding blackcurrant dark chocolate truffles infused with juniper. Judges said the truffles had a “delicious blackcurrant flavour and lovely texture”, and went on to say the chocolate shell was well tempered and the filling “intense and creamy”.

NORTH

Aged Goat Gouda

This goat gouda is made in North Yorkshire and aged for six months before release. This cheese caused quite a commotion, exciting judges with its consistent, creamy texture and the salty, matured finish it left on the palate. “An amazing aroma and a flavour to awaken the taste buds,” said our panel who deemed it a “very special cheese”.

Dry Cured Back Bacon METCALFE’S BEEF & PORK

www.metcalfes-butchers.co.uk

Every judging table that tried this bacon was unanimous about the salt level and texture of the meat being absolutely perfect. Our experts said the natural sweetness of the pork came through wonderfully and that there was just the right amount of fat to each rasher.

UIG LODGE SMOKED SALMON www.uiglodge.co.uk

For two years running this smoked salmon from Uig Lodge has placed in the Top 50 Foods. “So, so fresh and leaves an oceanic flavour in the mouth,” said our experts who were won over by this hand-sliced side of salmon. “Lingering length from the smoke, which has been done very carefully and is in perfect balance with the cure and natural salmon flavours.”

Gigot Leg of Lamb – Bone In ANNANWATER This slow-grown lamb is reared on hillsides, feeding on a wide range of upland herbs and grasses. Our panel of expert food judges enjoyed the rich, fresh flavour and succulent texture of the meat. Judges branded it “simply gorgeous”.

Jaffy’s Mallaig Kippers J LAWRIE & SONS www.jaffys.co.uk

These plump smoked herrings come from the last remaining kipper yard in Mallaig. Pickled in a secret brine before being slowly smoked over oak shavings from sherry casks, these kippers bowled over our judges who loved the buttery, moist texture of the fish and praised the gentle, but lingering smoke flavours.

5

SCOTLAND

Smoked Salmon

SOUTH EAST

Yummyto Japanese-style Soy Sauce SEEWOO FOODS www.seewoo.com

Raspberry Sorbet SNOWFLAKE LUXURY GELATO www.snowflakegelato.co.uk

“The flavour they’ve managed to get from the raspberries is incredibly intense,” remarked judges of Snowflake Luxury Gelato’s raspberry sorbet, which has been made using spring water, grape sugar and a minimum of 70% fresh raspberries.

Our panel found the consistency and colour to be beautiful and loved the smooth luxurious texture of the sorbet.

Lapsang Souchong

“There’s a really special fermented element and beautiful aromatics,” said judges of this traditionally brewed Japanese-style soy sauce. Our panel enjoyed the deep complexity it delivered and found the balance of saltiness to be spot-on.

“It has a glossy, vibrant colour and the flavour is long-lasting. Excellent as a condiment or in cooking.”

SILVER LANTERN TEA www.silverlanterntea.co.uk

Lidgate’s Dry Cured Iberico Streaky Bacon

Black tea from Fujian Province in eastern China has been dried over pinewood fires to produce this Lapsang Souchong from Silver Lantern. Judges said the tea had a clean smoky taste with a creamy wood flavour and deemed this tea “wellbalanced with some sweetness in the finish”.

C LIDGATE www.lidgates.com

Basil & Chilli Gelato LA GELATIERA www.lagelatiera.co.uk

This is the second year in a row that La Gelatiera’s innovatively flavoured gelatos have ranked in our Top 50 Foods. This year it was their fresh basil and Calabrian chilli number that stole the hearts of judges, who were impressed with the freshness of the basil and warming level of heat of the chilli.

From west London’s Lidgate’s Butchers comes this sweet Iberico streaky bacon. Our panel found the meat to have remarkable depth of flavour and commended the thick-cut slices.

“The fat literally melts in the mouth and we love the way the flavours develop,” said judges. “The sweet, nutty notes of the Iberico pork have great length of flavour.”

PROOF DRINKS www.proofdrinks.com

Produced from sun-baked agave in the Jalisco region of Mexico, this honey tequila has a natural citrus note that emerges during distillation.

“The floral honey explodes in the mouth,” said judges, who praised the spirit’s smoothness, lack of burn and the hint of smoke in the finish.

Handmade Sea Salted Caramel African Queen 70% DEMARQUETTE FINE CHOCOLATES www.demarquette.co.uk

The ganache for Demarquette’s African Queen is made from Ivory Coast cocoa and hints of Malagasy vanilla, layered on a base of hazelnut praline. “A very high quality chocolate with a really stunning flavour,” said the judges, who enjoyed the great contrast between the smooth ganache and crunch of the praline. “Gorgeous textures and flavours,” they added.

6

Cazcabel Honey Tequila

CUTTER & SQUIDGE www.cutterandsquidge.com

This salted caramel from Cutter & Squidge is made using Maldon sea salt, English butter and organic double cream. Judges said it has a fantastic consistency and loved the silky, creamy butterscotch flavours it delivered. The balance of sea salt was deemed perfect and cut through the sweetness wonderfully.

Hannan. Bringing home the bacon (and the beef) again this year!

www.hannanmeats.com

• 5 Top 50 Foods 2014 • 7 Three Gold Star Awards 2014 • 5 Top 50 Foods 2013 • 7 Three Gold Star Awards 2013 • 79 Stars in 2 years

”When we among all the purveyors were choosen to deliver our Stefan Pålsson AB salmon to the Alfred Nobel-banquet at the Stockholm City Hall we were indeed very honoured.

At the very same time and due to the importance of the universally known banquet we felt a high level of quality responsibility towards both the guests and to the hard working serving-staff of men and women - the very same responsibility significant to the whole chain of our production.

STEFAN PÅLSSON THE HOUSE OF lden Go

SALMON

by Sweden

Our utmost production efforts are making our customers experiencing the very same satisfaction as the guests´confirmation at the Alfred Nobel-banquet 1997 and 2003”.

SM i M

Stefan Pålsson Sweden at

ha n

Br

tv e r k

o ns 2 0 0 9

Örjaleden 4 - SE-261 51 Landskrona - Sweden 0046-(0)418- 583 71

www.stefanpalssonab.se

Traditional Scottish Seafood Smokehouse

A family Smokehouse on the scottish west Coast for over 70 Years.

Producing the finest quality smoked seafood products.

One of the Sunday telegraphs ‘top food shops 2012’

Oak Smoked mallaig Kippers & Salmon Drambuie Glazed Hot Smoked Salmon

Order online for uk wide delivery 01687 46 22 22 www.jaffys.co.uk 8

great taste 2014 WEDDERSPOON ORGANIC www.wedderspoon.co.uk

Wild rata trees native to New Zealand’s South Island deliver a slight pine note to this floral honey. Judges were enamoured, declaring it “an utterly gorgeous honey”, following up with: “This honey tastes amazing!” It was the smooth, velvety texture and clean, sweet, floral flavours that melt away beautifully that captivated our panel.

Steak & Stilton Pie WILLIAM DYER www.williamdyerbutchers.co.uk

“A very handsome pie with a robust filling,” said our judges of this steak & stilton number from William Dyer Butchers of Hampshire and Surrey. “The beef is gloriously tender and the flavour combination wonderful.” Our panel also said the pie was generously filled and applauded the buttery puff pastry.

Golden Raspberry & Apache Chilli Vinegar WOMERSLEY FRUIT & HERB VINEGARS www.womersleyfoods.com

Womersley has made this outstanding vinegar by hand, using fresh Scottish golden raspberries and British apache chillies. Judges enjoyed the beautiful balance of fruit sweetness, vinegar acidity and the building warmth from the chillies. “A marvelous and complex vinegar,” they said. “An innovative product that works really well.”

Intensely Buttermint R TWINING & COMPANY www.twinings.com

Twinings’ Intensely Buttermint is a herbal infusion of fresh peppermint leaves blended with aromatic vanilla. “The flavour is so original,” said judges. “Just two ingredients in perfect harmony.”

This infusion has a wonderful aroma and delivers butterscotch flavours with a refreshing hit of mint.

Chaucers Camembert CHEESEMAKERS OF CANTERBURY www.cheesemakersofcanterbury.co.uk

Tortas De Aceite DELICIOSO www.delicioso.co.uk

These traditional sugared olive oil biscuits are handmade in Seville with extra virgin olive oil, sesame seeds and aniseed. Previously awarded three stars back in 2010, judges liked the lingering aftertaste and said they have a good snap with a lovely flaky texture. Judges went on to praise the excellent balance between salt, sesame and aniseed flavours.

Handmade in Kent using pasteurised cows’ milk, this pretty little cheese is aged for three to six weeks. Our Great Taste experts commended its richness and perfect balance of acidity. “This beautiful cheese delivers a creamy texture and a fresh but deep flavour that goes on long into the finish,” said judges.

“Applause all round.”

9

SOUTH EAST

Raw Organic Wild Rata Honey

NORTHERN IRELAND

great taste 2014 Himalayan Salt-Aged Tagliata HANNAN MEATS www.hannanmeats.com

Dry-aged for a whopping 40 days, this tagliata is a handsome piece of meat that packs huge depth of flavour. “The most gloriously beautiful joint of beef we have seen in a while,” said our Great Taste panel. “The fat is amazing.”

HANNAN MEATS www.hannanmeats.com

A very special fillet steak that is dryaged on the bone. Hats off to another exemplary piece of meat from Peter Hannan and his saltageing chamber. Judges said the steak carries a wonderfully balanced flavour and delivers a great aftertaste.

BARONSCOURT ESTATE www.barons-court.com

This venison loin comes from wild sika deer that roam Northern Ireland’s Baronscourt Estate. Our panel of Great Taste experts said this lean joint of venison is tender, moist and carries great gamey flavours, without being too overpowering. “It has great character,” remarked judges. “The meat has impressive, long lasting flavours.”

Strawberry Ice Cream MAUDS ICE CREAMS www.mauds.com

Since 1982, Mauds has been churning ice cream to its own recipe in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. Its strawberry ice cream has a fabulously honest quality to it, say judges who enjoyed the velvety, creamy texture and the visible pieces of fruit within. “Tastes so natural and fresh,” said judges. “We just want to eat more of it.”

10

HANNAN MEATS www.hannanmeats.com

Peter Hannan has worked his meaty magic on these bacon ribs, which are cured to a traditional recipe and then sweetened in a sugar pit for 10 days. Our Great Taste experts loved the contrast in textures between the crisp edge, soft fat and succulent meat, finding the strong sweet and salty flavours to be in tune and perfectly balanced.

Himalayan Salt-Aged Fillet Steak

Venison Loin

Moyallon Three Sweet Bacon Ribs

Himalayan Salt-Aged Rib of Beef HANNAN MEATS www.hannanmeats.com

Apple Loves Mint SUKI TEAHOUSE www.suki-tea.com

Suki Tea’s Apple Loves Mint is a robust blend that includes peppermint leaves, baby rose buds, chunks of papaya and apple. Judges declared it “a very well-executed blend that is well balanced”. They went on to say that the blend delivers very pronounced flavours without coming across too sweet.

“Pure beef genius,” said our Great Taste experts of Hannan’s rib of beef that has been dry-aged in a salt chamber for a minimum of 28 days. “Melts in the mouth,” said judges who went on to applaud the flavoursome fat and tender texture of the meat.

Himalayan Salt-Aged Rib Chop HANNAN MEATS www.hannanmeats.com

The 12ft-high solid wall of hand-cut Himalayan salt bricks in Hannan Meats’ dry ageing chamber is fast becoming something of legend. “A fabulous, juicy rib chop,” said our judges. “This has so much flavour and the fat is like butter. It is everything you would hope for and more.”

LINCOLNSHIRE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR 2014

UK

We farm it!

We produce it!

We sell it!

Celebrating 10 years of Great Taste Gold 2004-2014

Great Taste 3-star & Top 50 for our Free Range Loin of Pork

t: +30 697 656 9 203 路 e: ellopiafoods@gmail.com

ellopiagreekfoods.com

t. 01427 628270 | jane@redhillfarm.co.uk

www.redhillfarm.co.uk

11

Luxury Gelato

For the very best Spain has to offer

10 ‘GREAT TASTE’ GOLD STARS IN 2014 For more information on how you can serve the best quality gelato and sorbetto from SNOWFLAKE LUXURY GELATO: W snowflakegelato.co.uk

E info@snowflakegelato.co.uk

T 020 3697 1269

SERVING HAPPINESS IN EVERY SCOOP

O’Neill’s Irish Atlantic Sea Salt infused with Dill Pollen

Call now for a catalogue

Speciality Importer of the Year 2008 01865 340055/341564 | info@delicioso.co.uk | www.delicioso.co.uk

Primrose Herd pigs reach for the stars!

We are first and foremost breeders and finishers of traditional pedigree breed pigs producing an award winning range of pork products.

Very much a family affair the farm is located in beautiful Cornish countryside within a World Heritage site and our traditional and non-intensive approach to animal husbandry is rewarded with the highest quality meat.

For all enquiries please contact us at O’Neill’s Irish Atlantic Sea Salt Flakes are produced from the pristine Grade ‘A’ seawater of the wild Atlantic Ocean that surrounds the ruggedly beautiful Beara Peninsula, West Cork, Ireland.

These 100% pure and natural sea salt flakes contains no additives, preservatives or anti caking agents are expertly blended with aromatic DILL POLLEN, has an intense taste and aroma.

Try these wonderfully flavoured Sea salt flakes with Fish, Eggs, Poultry, Shellfish, Potatoes, Vegetables or Sauces. +353 87 2324149 & +353 86 1620994 | email:info@irishatlanticsalt.ie

www.irishatlanticsalt.ie

12

tel: 01209 821408 | mobile: 07866042105 | email: primroseherd@tiscali.co.uk

www.primroseherd.co.uk

great taste 2014 Keltic Gold

WHALESBOROUGH CHEESE

SOUTH WEST

Oak Matured Vintage Cider SHEPPY’S CIDER

www.whalesboroughcheese.co.uk

www.sheppyscider.com

“We think this is an outstanding washed-rind cheese,” said our experts when judging this pasteurised cows’ cheese, which is washed and scrubbed with cider three times a week during its aging. “The texture is stunning and the flavour is delicious,” continued judges.

“Creamy, tangy, with clear notes of apple. A superbly made cheese.”

Made using apples from a single harvest at Three Bridges Farm, this cider from Sheppy’s has a lingering oak characteristic that goes on long into the finish. Judges loved the mixture of apples used and the deep complex flavours this sparkling cider delivers.

Saddleback Pork Belly PIPERS FARM www.pipersfarm.com

The pork belly from Pipers Farm’s slow-grown saddleback pigs is hung on the bone for three weeks. Our panel said it was outstanding in every way, commending the pork belly’s perfect crackling, its wonderfully sweet depth of flavour and a remarkable melt in the mouth quality.

Blaisdon Red Plum Jam THE ARTISAN KITCHEN www.theartisankitchen.co.uk

Made using historic Gloucestershire Blaisdon red plums from the Forest of Dean, this jam impressed judges with its deep, dark flavours and perfect level of acidity. “A well-made jam with distinct, pronounced plum flavours,” said judges. “Lovely balance of flavour. Vibrant and really juicy.”

THE PATCHWORK TRADITIONAL FOOD COMPANY www.patchwork-pate.co.uk

Made using chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and basil, this product is described as “a Mediterranean taste bomb” by its producers and our panel concurred heartily. “Plenty of flavour and a lovely rustic texture,” said judges. “The flavours come through in layers.

Wonderful.”

PRIMROSE HERD www.primroseherd.co.uk

Our judges were very impressed with the appearance of this handsome piece of belly pork from Cornwall’s Primrose Herd. With its layers of tender meat, fat and crackling, this belly pork from a heritage breed of pig enthralled the panel. “Lovely glazed crackling and sweet, moist meat,” they said. “The fat is creamy, light and full of flavour.”

Nature’s Meadow French Dressed Lamb Rack DAWN MEATS www.dawnmeats.com

This pasture-fed Irish lamb is handtrimmed to allow maximum meat coverage. Judges found the lamb very fresh and bright, adding that it was well trimmed, moist and carved very, very well. Our panel said it was “beautifully flavoured, tender lamb with fat to die for”.

Easy Thai Green Curry Paste THE COCONUT KITCHEN www.thecoconutkitchen.co.uk

Our judges said this was a very well-rounded product and loved the “great umami hit of fish sauce that has been balanced against the other flavours very well”.

This spicy curry paste also includes a fragrant lemongrass backbone and vibrancy from basil and lemon. “It has a good deep flavour profile,” said our panel, who enjoyed the late chilli heat.

13

WALES

Red Pesto Paté

Gloucester Old Spot Belly Pork

IRELAND

great taste 2014 Frozen Goodness Fresh Lemon Irish Atlantic Sea Salt with Dill Pollen

NOBÓ www.nobo.ie

Judges were hugely impressed with this dairy-free ice cream made from avocado, coconut milk and honey. Flavoured with fresh lemon juice and Madagascan vanilla bean extract, this ice cream is wonderfully creamy and smooth. “The lemon and coconut balance so well,” said our panel. “A really clever product and all judges enjoyed the flavours.”

IRISH ATLANTIC SALT www.irishatlanticsalt.ie

Michael and Aileen O’Neill have infused their Atlantic sea salt – produced in West Cork using sustainable methods – with dill pollen. Judges said it is one of the best flavoured salts they have ever tasted and that the balance between the salt and dill is superb. “An outstanding salt with fabulously textured flakes,” they added.

Beef Dripping JAMES WHELAN BUTCHERS www.jameswhelanbutchers.com

MIDLANDS & EAST ANGLIA

This rendered beef suet is from Angus and Hereford beef and was an absolute showstopper.

Our Great Taste experts fell in love with the clarity of flavour to this dripping and deemed it perfection for roasting, baking and spreading.

“Tremendous, deep beefy flavours,” exclaimed judges. “Blew us all away.”

Chase Raspberry Liqueur

Joie de Chevre

CHASE DISTILLERY

BROCK HALL FARM DAIRY

www.chasedistillery.co.uk

The team at Chase have made this delicious raspberry liqueur using their English potato vodka and fresh raspberry. It has a wonderful blushing colour and a pleasant, well-balanced nose. Judges declared it outstanding, saying it was “almost too easy to drink, we were reaching for more.”

Free Range Loin of Pork REDHILL FARM FREE RANGE PORK www.redhillfarm.com

Redhill Farm’s loin of pork comes from freerange Duroc cross pigs raised in the heart of Lincolnshire. “Great aroma and beautiful marbling of fat right the way through the centre,” said our Great Taste experts who also applauded the meat’s clean depth of flavour and silky, sweet fat.

14

www.brockhallfarm.com

Brock Hall Farm is no newcomer to our Top 50 Foods having placed a cheese in the list just last year. For 2014, it triumphs with this semi hard goat cheese Joie de Chevre. Our panel of experts loved the richness and fresh goats’ milk flavours this cheese delivers and praised the nutty, lingering finish.

Gooseberry & Limoncello ALDER TREE www.alder-tree.co.uk

Alder Tree has a long list of Great Taste awards to its name and has been making its unique cream ice in Suffolk since 2007. This gooseberry & limoncello flavour is “smooth with a great tang”, said judges. They added: “Light but intensely flavoured. The fruit and lemon sang together beautifully.”

Quality, our salesman.

Sourced from the beautiful crimson red WILD RATA trees native to the remote, protected, high elevation areas of New Zealand’s South Island. Bees gather the Rata nectar from the southwest coast National Park rainforest regions making Rata a very unique, rare honey. Rata has a distinctive, mild, buttery flavour and is considered by some as one of the finest honeys in the world.

www.wedderspoon.co.uk

We take pride in all of our products that are handmade on our premises.

We are proud to produce free range dry-cure bacon and gammons to a very high standard.

We have achieved this by sourcing the finest local award-winning free range pork.

Free range dry-cured back bacon sourced from the finest local pork www.metcalfes-butchers.co.uk | tel 01274 874373

Baronscourt Estate, situated in the foothills of the famous Sperrin Mountains in County Tyrone and home of the Duke of Abercorn’s family since 1612. It is also the home of Ireland’s finest wild venison. This has been recognised by 2 highly regarded Great Taste Awards 2014, 3 Gold Stars for their Venison Loin and 2 Gold Stars for their Venison French Rack.

The herd of Japanese Sika deer thrive on myrtle bog, ryegrass and tasty saplings which are naturally free of any additives or growth promoters. Apart from being a very lean and succulent meat, low in cholesterol and chock full of protein, Baronscourt wild venison is very sustainable. The estate produces oven ready pheasants and ducks between Oct - Jan, all of which are home reared. All Baronscourt game is 100% processed in their EU approved game handling facility.

Products: Loin, French Rack, Saddle, Haunch, Rolled Shoulder, Steaks/Medallions, Stewing Meat, Denvor Leg, Burgers, and Sausages. Available from Aug - Mar Other Awards: Laurent Perrier Award - for the management of the Estates wild herd of Japanese Sika deer has been recognised for its Wild Game Conservation. The forestry enterprise, an integral part of the Estate, won the Royal Forestry Society’s ‘Duke of Cornwall’s Award’.

T: 028 81661683 E: info@barons-court.com W: www.barons-court.com www.facebook.com/BaronscourtEstate www.twitter.com/AbercornEstate

15

SUE PROUDFOOT’S WHALESBOROUGH CHEESES 01288 361317

seproudfoot@aol.com or info@whalesborough.co.uk Whalesborough, Marhamchurch, Bude, Cornwall, EX23 0JD

www.whalesboroughcheese.co.uk

A Family of Six Distinctive Cornish Cheeses Trelawny

T H E

F I N E S T

A T L A N T I C F R O M

T H E

Traditional Farmhouse cheese.

Miss Muffet Washed curd sweet continental style.

Smuggler Orange & white marbling, stunning.

Keltic Gold Cider washed with a beautiful pungent aroma.

Cornish Crumbly Delightful zingy young cheese.

Little Wheal Creamy rustic round & soft.

S M O K E D S A L M O N

I S L E

O F

L E W I S

W W W . U I G L O D G E . C O . U K T E L . 0 1 8 5 1 6 7 2 3 9 6

Winners of 4 Great Taste Awards in 2014

Trelawny

Multi award-winning ices, made by hand on our family fruit farm In the heart of Suffolk

Alder Tree Ltd Alder Carr Farm, Creeting St Mary Ipswich, Suffolk, IP6 8LX www.alder-tree.co.uk t: 01449 721220 e: info@alder-tree.co.uk

16

Miss Muffet

Gooseberry & Limoncello FRUIT CREAM ICE

Keltic Gold

great taste 2014

VICTOR FERNANDES QUEIJARIA ARTESANAL

Viejo Maestro

www.victorfernandes.lda.pt

“We love the fermented grassy notes,” said judges of this Azeitao cheese which is made using raw sheep’s milk. This DOP cheese is produced in the south of Portugal by Victor Fernandes and carries a unique mix of sour, salty and spicy flavours. “It’s firm, yet runny,” continued judges, “and the complexity of flavour is stunning.”

Whole Hot Smoked Salmon STEFAN PÅLSSON www.stefanpalssonab.se

EXTREMADURAN WAREHOUSE www.extremaduran.com

Produced using the pasteurised milk from Retinta goats and aged for 40 days, Viejo Maestro impressed our Great Taste experts with its fresh grassiness and complex goats’ milk flavour. “There’s a lot of length and depth,” remarked judges, who commended the rich, creamy texture of the cheese, crowning it “an excellent product”.

Scandinavians know a thing or two about smoking salmon and this one has been hot smoked whole in Sweden by the team at Stefan Pålsson. “A most majestic beast,” said one judge of our panel. “Wonderfully moist salmon and perfectly seasoned. It falls off the bone in the most beautiful way.”

75% Forastero Cocoa – Brazil AKESSON’S ORGANIC www.akessons-organic.com

Casta Diva Moscatel Vinegar BRINDISA www.brindisa.com

This vinegar is made using Moscatel de Alejandria grapes before being cask-aged for six years. Judges found the vinegar to have astonishing complexity both on the aroma and the palate, its flavours hanging around in the mouth for a good while after tasting. “A delightful explosion of developing flavours,” said judges. “It’s sharp, it’s sweet, it’s warm, it’s exciting!”

Jamon de Bellota 100% Iberico Pata Negra JUAN PEDRO DOMECQ www.jamonesjuanpedrodomecq.com

This ham comes from pure-bred Iberian pigs that are raised on a diet of Spanish acorns. “Sweet caramel notes layer with dark, aged ham and a nuttiness that lasts long into the finish,” said judges who applauded the ham’s deep red colour, which is marbled with silky white fat.

“Great looking bar that melts wonderfully in the mouth.

Delivers very dark and interesting flavours that linger,” said judges of this bar, which is produced with cocoa from Akesson’s own estate.

The cocoa is roasted to enhance natural coffee notes which judges, found come through clearly and last into the finish.

Ellopia Thyme Honey ELLOPIA GREEK FOODS

www.ellopiagreekfoods.com

The wild thyme growing on the rocky northern shores of Andros in Greece has brought a pronounced floral quality to this honey.

“It has a real purity,” said our judges, who thought the deep, golden honey had a wonderful length of flavour and a bright intensity of thyme.

17

WORLD FLAVOURS

Queijo de Azeitao DOP

traditional natural sustainable l

l

Dawn Meats are proud winners of 10 Gold Stars in this year’s Great Taste Awards and honoured to be selected for the Guild’s Top 50 Foods for their Nature’s Meadow French Dressed Lamb Rack

www.dawnmeats.com

It takes a skilled Thai palate to get the best Thai Green curry.

Our restaurant customers keep telling us our Green curry is the best and how it reminds them of holidays in Thailand.

So we put all our skill into one little pot and now our 3-star curry can be re-created at home too!

Contact Paul for more information on how to stock this and our other award winning Thai sauces - all based on our best selling restaurant dishes.

www.whiterabbitchocolatiers.co.uk

16 Dyer Lane, Beverley, East Yorkshire Tel: 01482 679325

enquiries@thecoconutkitchen.co.uk

www.thecoconutkitchen.co.uk Tel: 07786 364 250 ·

coconut1kitchen · Abersoch, N.Wales LL53 7AN

m m fro co le ef. oo ab ch W ail us ee Av .so ll S res w d a to ww an s

Yummyto offers UMAMI, a distinct taste you will love at first bite. People are devoted to seeking the taste of UMAMI in all food. Now, let us present our Yummyto soy sauce to you. An aromatic Japanese soy sauce that has the taste of UMAMI people are looking for. Offering delight to your palate whilst providing the essence of Japanese cuisine. Add to your cooking to bring out the umami flavours.

Naturally brewed from selected non-GMO soy bean, with no flavour enhancers, colouring or preservatives added.

The pure processes and techniques used are the “mysterious ingredients” of this award-winning Yummyto soy sauce.

www.seewoo.com; tel: 08450768888; email: info@seewoo.co.uk

19

We ethically source and blend some of the world’s finest speciality loose leaf teas, herbal infusions and fruit tisanes.

“Winner of 4 awards in 2014” 17 products 26 awards 39 stars

e: queries@suki-tea.com t: 028 9033 0938 www.suki-tea.com