Cornwall scoops top food awards

Taste of the West Food Awards 2009

Some of Cornwall’s best establishments came away with the top awards at the 2009 Taste of the West Food Awards on Tuesday  evening.  Known as the Oscars of the Westcountry food world, the awards saw 200 of the great and the good of the South West's food industry gathered in the Great Tithe Barn at Haselbury Mill in Crewkerne.  This year's awards were the biggest ever, according to Taste of the West chief executive John Sheaves. "Entries were up by 200 to an all-time high of nearly 1,300 products and 300 hospitality venues. The quality just keeps improving, too. Consumers now have very high expectations and local producers have risen to the challenge. "There are some world-class food and drink products and places to eat out in the South West."

 Cornwall’s winning entries were as follows.

Best sweet bakery and confectionery

Saffron Cake, Simply Cornish, Penzance.

Judge’s comment: “Plenty of moisture with a wonderful aroma. It screams Westcountry.”

Best uncured meat

Calves Liver, Bocaddon Farm Veal, South East Cornwall.

Judge’s comment: “They should be very proud of this product’s great taste and humane farming

Best ready meal

Free Range Chicken Jalfrezi, The Little Cornish Curry Company, St Austell, Cornwall.

Judge’s comment: “The lovely bright, fresh flavours of this product really make it stand out. An

Best new product

Healey’s Classic Reserve, Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm, Penhallow, Cornwall.

Judge’s comment: “Matured in whisky barrels, this has a luxurious extra flavour dimension.”

Best packaging

Healey’s Classic Reserve, Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm, Penhallow, Truro, Cornwall.

Judge’s comment: “This packaging stands out from the crowd – less is definitely more.”

Tea room of the year

Muffins, Lostwithiel, Cornwall. 

Judge’s comment: “This is the perfect tea room.”

Watch out in the coming weeks as we cover some of the above winners on our new Food and Drink pages.

BRIAN TAYLOR

NEWSDESK

DECEMBER 3 2009