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Wild smoked
salmon from Ireland has beaten over 4,500 entries nationwide to be
honoured as the Great Taste Awards 2006 Supreme Champion.
Since May
there have been eight full days of blind tasting by over 450 judges
of over 4,500 food products, from which 530 'Gold' certificates were
awarded for excellence. These were judged for a second time and
whittled down to a shortlist of the best 28 foods which were then
blind tasted for a third time by a team of 12 experts from the food
world. Judges included Richard Johnson, food writer from The Guardian
and presenter of BBC's Full on Food, Evening Standard's Charles
Campion, celebrity chef Giancarlo Caldesi from BBC2's Return to
Tuscany and Jennifer Sharp, restaurant reviewer for Harpers Bazaar.
The unanimous
winner was Woodcock Smokery's Irish wild smoked salmon which scooped
the awards last night, winning Best Speciality and Best Fresh
Product, before being crowned 'Supreme Champion'. Judge Duncan Ackery
from Tate Catering commented, "It was a very difficult decision
but Woodcock's salmon was just exquisite". Other multi award
winners on the night included Minghella Isle of Wight Limited for
their Gin & Pink Grapefruit sorbet.
Bob Farrand,
National Director of the Guild of Fine Food Retailers who hosted the
awards commented, "The Great Taste Awards reflect what is
happening in the fine food halls, delicatessens and farm shops
throughout the UK and we have tasted some fantastic gourmet
delicacies from all over the world."
Sally Barnes
from Woodcock Smokery adds: "We're absolutely delighted but we
are in shock - it hasn't sunk in yet! Winning a Great Taste Award is
the ultimate recognition and is a fantastic help when promoting our
product. So much hard work has gone into developing and perfecting
these products - to win is just brilliant."
Overall
Winners were also announced from the English regions, Wales,
Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland and Europe, with full results
detailed below:
Best
Speciality from the South West
Sponsored by
Taste of the West
Winner: Almond
Topped Polenta Shortbread & Cranberry, Honeybuns
Reserve:
Seville Marmalade, Cranfield Foods
Best
Speciality from the East Midlands
Sponsored by
East Midlands Fine Foods
Winner: Smoked
Trout - Whole, Jaquest Foods
Reserve: Green
Bacon, Back, Critchlows Farm Shop
Best
Speciality from the Heart of England
Sponsored by
Heart of England Fine Food
Winner:
Traditional Pork Sausage, Rochford Country Meats
Reserve: Salt
caramel milk chocolate, Cottage Delight
Best
Speciality from Yorkshire & Humber
Sponsored by
Regional Food Group for Yorkshire Humber
Winner: Sweet
Onion Marmalade, Rosebud Preserves
Reserve: Oak
Smoked Kipper fillets, Carricks Fish
Best
Speciality from Anglia
Sponsored by
Tastes of Anglia
Winner:
Traditional unsmoked back bacon, Broadland Hams
Reserve: Very
Hot Pepper Jelly, Jules & Sharpie / La La Limited
Best
Speciality from Northumbria
Sponsored by
Northumbria Larder
Winner: Baby
Beetroot in Raspberry Red Wine Vinegar, Ross's Pickles / James Ross
& Son Ltd
Reserve:
Sticky Lemon Pudding with a Tangy Lemon Sauce, Burtree House Farm
Best
Speciality from the South East
Sponsored by
Food and Drink from the South East
Winner: Gin
& Pink Grapefruit Sorbet, Minghella Isle of Wight Limited
Reserve:
Chipotle chilli jam, Atkins & Potts
Best
Speciality from the North West
Sponsored by
North West Fine Foods
Winner: Dried
Organic Apricots, Prunes & Figs in Spiced Rum Syrup, Lizzie's Homemade
Reserve:
Organic Chocolate Pudding, Farmhouse Fare
Best
English Speciality
Sponsored by
Partridges of Sloane Street
Winner: Gin
& Pink Grapefruit Sorbet, Minghella Isle of Wight Limited
Reserve:
Almond Topped Polenta Shortbread & Cranberry, Honeybuns
Best Welsh Speciality
Sponsored by
the Welsh Assembly Government
Winner: Green
Back Bacon, Neuadd Fach Baconry
Reserve: White
Chocolate & Baileys Fudge, Uncle Peter's Food Company
Best
Scottish Speciality
Sponsored by
Scottish Food & Drink
Winner: Oat
Yumies, Maclean's Highland Bakery
Reserve: Peat
Smoked Seatrout, Hebridean Smokehouse
Best
Speciality from Northern Ireland
Sponsored by
Invest Northern Ireland
Winner: Orange
Breakfast Marmalade, The Offbeat Bottling Company
Best Irish Speciality
Sponsored by
Bord Bia
Winner: Irish
Wild Smoked Salmon, Woodcock Smokery
Reserve:
Castle Leslie Gifts & Goodies Blackcurrant and Orange Jam,
En-Place Foods
Best
Italian Speciality
Sponsored by
Foodhouse UK
Winner: Villa
Zottopera ì Rossoî extra virgin olive oil, Azienda
Agricola Guiseppe Rosso
Best Fresh
Product
Sponsored by
Air Products Plc
Winner: Irish
Wild Smoked Salmon, Woodcock Smokery
Speciality
Importer of the Year Sponsored by Fresh RM
3 gold, 9
silver, 2 bronze across 12 classes
Winner: Brindisa
Fiorucci UK
Award for the Continental Delicatessen
Winner:
Barbakan Deli
Best First
Time Entrant Sponsored by Cottage Delight
3 entries, 3
different classes, 3 golds - all classes over 30 entries
Winner: Potts Pantry
Speciality
Producer of the Year Award sponsored by Artisan and Fine Food Digest
4 entries - 3
Golds and a bronze, stunning packaging re-design
Winner:
Belvoir Fruit Farms
Guild of
Fine Food Retailers' Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: Arthur
Axon of The Cheese Hamlet
Fortnum
& Mason Trophy for Great Taste Awards 2006 Supreme Champion
Winner: Irish
Wild Smoked Salmon, Woodcock Smokery
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