The Top 50 winners of Great Taste 2013
The list of Great Taste Top 50 Foods has now been announced in full. You can find all of the winning products below. Keep following @guildoffinefood on Twitter to keep up to date with all things Great Taste #greattasteawards
Marybelle Greek-style yoghurt – MARYBELLE DAIRY
Added August 22nd, 2013
This smooth Greek-style yoghurt is made using a blend of local milk sourced from Norfolk and Suffolk. “Beautiful colour and creamy consistency and a lovely acidic aroma that makes you want to dive in,” said the judges. “Full, rich and deeply creamy flavour with a refreshing tang.” www.marybelle.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewMarc de Champagne chocolate – LAUDEN CHOCOLATE
Added August 30th, 2013
Lauden Chocolate uses Valrhona chocolate for the shell and combines real Marc de Champagne with Valrhona chocolate to make the ganache for this product, which had the judges requesting more on their comment sheet. www.laudenchocolate.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSmoked salmon with seaweed – BURREN SMOKEHOUSE
Added August 30th, 2013
Burren has taken its traditionally oak smoked organic salmon and marinated it in a mixture of green, red and brown seaweed, including nori, dillisk and kombu varieties. Judges hailed the addition of seaweed as a stroke of genius which marries well with the smoked flavour. www.burrensmokehouse.ie
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewEwing’s Traditionally pale smoked cod – EWING SEAFOODS
Added August 29th, 2013
These cod loins are prepared and smoked to a 100-year-old family recipe by Belfast fishmonger Ewing‘s. “The texture is perfectly flaky, almost gelatinous,” said judges. “The wood smokiness is well balanced with salt and fish flavour. A stunning piece of smoked cod.” www.ewingseafoods.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewJasmine green tea pearls (Grade A) – WAN LING TEA HOUSE
Added August 29th, 2013
Each individual “pearl” is blended by hand from fine loose leaf green tea and top quality jasmine flowers. “Well made,” said expert tasters. “Delicate, sweet, light flavour with excellent length.” www.wanlingteahouse.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewFig & sherry frozen yoghurt – SALCOMBE DAIRY
Added August 28th, 2013
It’s the second year in a row that a Salcombe Dairy frozen yoghurt has made the Top 50. This combination of frozen yoghurt, smooth sherry and chewy figs found favour with food experts for its smoothness, balance of acidity and sweetness and the large pieces of fig. www.salcombedairy.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSeasoned Fiorentina T-bone – HANNAN MEATS
Added August 28th, 2013
“A monster of a steak,” said the judges of Hannan’s fifth product in the Top 50: a new Great Taste record. “The steak delivers a very good beefy aroma and judges love the subtle, lingering flavours,” read the comments. www.hannanmeats.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewPure UBU – PURITY BREWING COMPANY
Added August 28th, 2013
At 4.5% ABV, this amber ale is Purity’s strongest and darkest beer. Pure UBU is brewed with English Maris Otter, Crystal, Black and Wheat malts and Hallertau Northern Brewer and Cascade hops. Judges enjoyed the precision with which this beer delivers its malt, toffee and orange flavours. www.puritybrewing.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewGinger & fennel truffle – FREDERICKS CHOCOLATERIE
Added August 27th, 2013
The Grenadian 60% truffle filling for these chocolates is infused with Chinese stem ginger while the 40% Javan shell includes organic fennel seeds. Judges noted that all of these flavours were well-balanced but the appearance also grabbed them. “A fine product in a very crowded market,” they said. “The beauty of these chocolates makes them […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewCamomile tea – TEA STUDIO
Added August 27th, 2013
Tea Studio’s camomile tea contains only dried flowers blossoms grown in Croatia. The producer says this caffeine-free tea has an intense aroma and a soothing honey flavour. The judges certainly enjoyed it: “Delivers its promise on the palate, with powerful, buttery chamomile notes. Delicate, yet long. A quality blossom yielding a delightful tea.” www.teastudio.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewMedium dry cider – STONEWELL CIDER
Added August 26th, 2013
This is the second of two ciders in the Top 50 from County Cork’s Stonewell. It is produced using a blend of Dabinett, Michelin, Elstar, Jonagored and Falstaff apples, which are all sorted manually, milled, pressed and fermented separately. Judges called it “light, refreshing, well balanced and delicious.” www.stonewellcider.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewBanana habanero – MR. VIKKI’S
Added August 26th, 2013
Hot condiment specialist Mr Vikki’s makes this sweet, sour, hot and tangy chutney with fresh bananas, ginger and habanero chillies. Judges said they enjoyed the layers of flavour coming through from the individual ingredients as the chilli heat grows. www.mrvikkis.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSalt-aged Euro Angus Fiorentina T-bone – HANNAN MEATS
Added August 26th, 2013
Hannan’s investment in its salt-aging chamber certainly paid dividends, generating a fourth Top 50 product. This cut was said to be “tasty with exceptional fat: nutty almost like marrow”. One judge went even further, exclaiming: “It’s difficult to imagine how a steak could get any better than this.” www.hannanmeats.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewCumberland Mutton Pie – THE MANCHESTER TART CO
Added August 25th, 2013
The “superb” all-butter shortcrust pastry for this pie was a revelation to all of the judges while the filling proved equally popular. “Mutton flavour sings along with the mushroom,” said one judge. www.themanchestertartcompany.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewPort jelly – CORLEGGY CHEESES
Added August 25th, 2013
Having won two stars for three of its raw milk cheeses last year, Corleggy Cheese has produced a cheeseboard accompaniment that is “delicious and crystal clear with a good depth of flavour”, according to judges, who also praised the balance of sweetness with alcohol. www.corleggycheeses.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSmoked salmon – UIG LODGE
Added August 24th, 2013
When it comes to its curing and smoking process, the smokehouse at Uig Lodge on the Isle of Lewis says it treats each fish independently, even taking the weather into account. Judges praised the colour and buttery texture of the fish but were also wowed by its balanced oaky flavour and the touch of sweetness […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewDutch Mistress – BROCK HALL FARM DAIRY
Added August 24th, 2013
After last year’s Top 50 triumph with her Capra Nouveau, goats’ cheese specialist Sarah Hampton has made the list this year with her semi-hard rind-washed Dutch Mistress. As with all of her cheese, it is made with the milk from Brock Hall’s own herd of pedigree, free-range Pure Saanen goats. Judges said: “Nice creamy texture […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video review28 dry aged Longhorn cote de boeuf – MARTINS MEATS
Added August 23rd, 2013
This rare breed Longhorn cote de boeuf is aged for 28 days by Cotswold business Martin’s Meats, a retail and catering butcher set up by farmer Martin Gilder 10 years ago. The first-time entrant’s beef impressed judges with its attractive marbling and, above all, it’s flavour. “Juicy and well flavoured with a long finish,” they […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSea salted caramel with fennel pollen – EN PLACE FOODS UK
Added August 23rd, 2013
This second of En Place Foods Top 50 products. It was the balance of flavours, particularly the subtle fennel, that convinced judges to award this caramel sauce with added Irish sea salt and hand-picked fennel pollen. “A riot of flavours in remarkable balance,” said judges. “Unctuous and unbelievably moreish.” www.en-placefoods.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewMarmalade & whiskey bread pudding – @11s KINGSBRIDGE
Added August 22nd, 2013
Described by judges as “an honest, homely product made very special indeed”, this bread pudding is soaked in whiskey and topped with orange marmalade. Those that tasted the product loved every aspect whether it was the citrus on the tongue, the succulent fruit, the level of spice or just the final hit of whiskey. www.dartfinefood.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewHalen Môn umami sea salt – THE ANGLESEY SEA SALT CO
Added August 21st, 2013
This blend of pure sea salt harvested on Anglesey, seaweed and shitake mushroom powder is an ingredient designed to enhance meat and fish. The Great Taste experts also saw its cooking potential, especially in Japanese dishes, and commended the quality of the individual components in the mix. www.halenmon.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSalt-aged Euro Angus sirloin – HANNAN MEATS
Added August 21st, 2013
Hannan achieved a hat-trick of Top 50 products, again courtesy of its salt-aging chamber. This sirloin, which was dry-aged on the bone, had judges begging to know who made it. “A good layer of fat and lovely colour, really appealing,” they said. “Superb, full flavour that keeps going in the mouth. Succulent, moist and outstanding.” […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewOrganic Devon Blush Cider – ASHRIDGE CIDER
Added August 20th, 2013
This fruity, lightly carbonated medium sweet cider is made with a blend of organic cider apples from old Devon orchards but Ashridge has also added blackberries to the recipe. The resulting blush has “a great dark, golden brown colour and a wonderful deep flavour with a traditional cider finish,” according to judges. www.ashridgecider.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSteak & Stilton pie – QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE
Added August 20th, 2013
Described by judges as “very handsome”, this shortcrust pastry pie is made by hand at Theydon Bois-based butcher shop Quality and Excellence. The judges also commended the texture of the pastry, generous amount of meat in the filling and the judicious use of Stilton to complement rather than overpower the other ingredients. www.qualityandexcellence.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewShropshire Blue – COLSTON BASSETT DAIRY
Added August 19th, 2013
This traditional creamy blue is made from pasteurised cows’ milk and has a distinctive orange body and a milder flavour than Stilton, for which Colston Bassett is best known. Each cheese is matured for 6-8 weeks to make a product that judges thought was “divine”. www.colstonbassettdairy.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewStornoway water biscuit with Hebridean seaweed – STAG BAKERIES
Added August 19th, 2013
Baked on the Isle of Lewis, these traditional Stornoway water biscuits are flavoured with Hebridean seaweed harvested from local seawater lochs. The biscuits have been developed to evoke a taste of the sea and the judges thought this delivered in both aroma and flavour with just right amount of salt. They also thought it would […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewMalvern basil and wild marjoram pesto – WELL SEASONED
Added August 18th, 2013
Described by one judge as “the BMW of pesto”, this product is part of Well Seasoned’s summer pesto range. It is made with British basil and wild majoram as well as cold pressed extra virgin rapeseed oil, hard cheese and roasted hazelnuts. It is ready to eat, hot or cold. www.wellseasoned.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewLakeland treacle bread with walnuts & raisins – MORE? THE ARTISAN BAKERY
Added August 18th, 2013
This moist, slowly fermented 100% wholemeal loaf, from Cumbria-based artisan baker and serial Great Taste award winner Patrick Moore, has been enhanced with treacle and walnuts to boost its texture. Judges certainly agreed and they also applauded the loaf’s “deep, complex flavours”. www.moreartisan.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewTraditional West Country Farmhouse Cheddar – DENHAY FARMS
Added August 17th, 2013
Denhay is one of a handful of producers of making cloth-bound West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, which is protected under EU law. This cheese, which is made with vegetarian rennet, hit the mark with judges for its “appealing, musky” aroma, “sweet, buttery” flavour and a creamy finish. www.denhay.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewVirgin Pistachio Oil – AZADA
Added August 17th, 2013
Last year, it was Azada’s hazelnut oil that made the Top 50. This year, it’s the pistachio oil’s turn. Made entirely from lightly roasted and cold-pressed pistachios, the oil has a vibrant green colour, which caught the judges’ eyes. They also rated it highly on smell and taste: “Great aroma, excellent fresh pistachio flavour, rich […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewLemon curd – WELSH LADY PRESERVES
Added August 16th, 2013
According to Welsh Lady Preserves, there is little to its lemon curd: lemon, eggs and butter. But there’s clearly a secret as it’s won three stars for a second year in a row. Every table that tried this product was unanimous about the quality of its lemon flavour and its excellent consistency. www.welshladypreserves.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewDuck Leg Confit – MR DUCKS DELICACIES
Added August 16th, 2013
Following up on last year’s gizzards confit (Great Taste’s Best Speciality from the South East 2012), Mr Duck, aka chef Tom Maieli, continues to live up to his moniker with this duck leg confit. They are cooked to a traditional French recipe, which has previously gained them two stars in both 2011 and 2010. www.mrducksdelicacies.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSalt-aged Euro Angus cote de boeuf – HANNAN MEATS
Added August 15th, 2013
Another salt-aged triumph from Peter Hannan and his team. This cote de boeuf spends at least 28 days in the Himalayan salt chamber and Great Taste experts branded it “exceptional”. They added: “Juicy and full of complex flavours. Firm texture with a good mouth feel. A beautiful piece of meat.” www.hannanmeats.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewCold pressed rapeseed oil – BELL & LOXTON
Added August 15th, 2013
The rapeseed is grown on a family farm in South Devon and pressed at low temperatures to extract the oil naturally before it is filtered and bottled. “Fresh shelled peas on the nose and peanuts in the mouth,” said tasters. “Clean, fresh and rounded with a delicious buttery finish.” www.bellandloxton.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewAcacia honey, rosemary & orange zest gelato – LA GELATIERA
Added August 15th, 2013
“We could hear the cows mooing in the far distance, such was the artisan character and freshness,” read the judges comments on this gelato. It is made with organic jersey milk and organic jersey pouring cream using a traditional bain marie method. www.lagelatiera.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewGreen pepper venison salami – GREAT GLEN GAME
Added August 14th, 2013
This salami is made with sustainably sourced wild venison from the Scottish Highlands and flavoured with green peppercorns. “Very appetising aroma and a fine, soft, moist texture,” said the judges. “The balance of pepper is just right. It is powerful but not over-powering.” www.greatglengame.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewKilcree Gold organic honey – ALDI STORES IRELAND
Added August 14th, 2013
This certified 100% organic honey impressed judges with its “gorgeous amber colour and lovely caramel aroma”. It also delivered on taste with a complex natural sweetness and “a lovely length of flavour that sings in the mouth”. www.aldi.ie
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewMushroom, leek & smoked garlic tart – McCARTNEY’S OF MOIRA
Added August 14th, 2013
Having taken the UK by storm with its 2011 Supreme Champion corned beef, McCartney’s of Moira has proven to be equally adept in the meat-free category. This tart is made with breakfast mushrooms, leeks, smoked garlic, shallots and fresh thyme. The Great Taste panel described it as “very attractive” and they loved every mouthful – […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewTraditional vintage cheddar – QUICKES TRADITIONAL
Added August 13th, 2013
Mary Quicke’s vintage cheddar is matured for over two years to develop its full-bodied taste and a crumbly texture that Great Taste’s panel of experts really enjoyed. “Its flavour is superb, beautiful and savoury with a long finish in the mouth,” they said. www.quickes.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewTurner’s steak & Stilton pie – TURNER’S PIES
Added August 13th, 2013
Made in Bognor Regis, this creation from Turner’s won favour with the judges for the texture of its handmade shortcrust pastry, the tenderness of the Highland top rump steak and the subtle addition of blue cheese. www.turnerspies.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewDry cider – STONEWELL CIDER
Added August 13th, 2013
Produced by the small team at County Cork-based Stonewell, this dry cider is made with Dabinett and Michelin apples, which are sorted manually, milled, pressed and fermented separately. The judges said it was “impressive and sophisticated with a Prosecco-like effervescence”. www.stonewellcider.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewDamson cream ice – ALDER TREE
Added August 12th, 2013
Suffolk-based Alder Tree’s ice cream-style dessert is made with just three ingredients: damsons (36%), British cream and sugar. Judges raved about the texture of the product (“light and creamy at the same time”) and the sharpness of the fruit coming through. www.alder-tree.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSea buckthorn berry & lime jam – EN PLACE FOODS UK
Added August 12th, 2013
Co Tyrone’s En Place Foods makes this vivid orange, seedless sea buckthorn berry jam in small open pan batches. Judges were blown away by its colour, the texture and especially the “wonderful freshness and good balance of sweetness and sharpness”. www.en-placefoods.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewLiquorice & peppermint tea – TEAPIGS
Added August 11th, 2013
This tea, made from pure liquorice root and whole peppermint leaves, is in the Great Taste Top 50 for a second year running. Described by teapigs as a naturally sweet and refreshing drink, this year’s judges concurred. www.teapigs.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewBlood orange marmalade – CRANFIELDS FOODS
Added August 11th, 2013
Exmoor-based Cranfields is well-known for impressing judges with its preserves and this year its was its marmalade, made with hand cut fresh blood oranges, that wowed Great Taste’s experts most of all. Comments included: “Great balance of sweet and bitter notes, intense orange flavour and deep, rich colour. A good set and dense texture, but […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewEdinbugh Gin infused with elderflower – SPENCERFIELD SPIRIT CO
Added August 10th, 2013
Spencerfield has taken its Edinburgh Gin and infused it with fresh elderflower. The drink’s fresh, citrusy taste impressed the judges, who labelled it “a joy to drink”. The producer says the gin can be served on its own over ice, added to soda or used in a variety of cocktails. www.spencerfieldspirit.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewPear sorbet – MOVENPICK ICE CREAM
Added August 10th, 2013
This sorbet is made using purée and whole pieces of tender Williams pears to create “a refreshing and creamy sorbet”, with a fruit content of 43%. Judges liked every aspect, from the colour and varied texture through to the clean pear flavour. www.moevenpick-icecream.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewHarrods saffron cream chocolates – MARASU’S
Added August 9th, 2013
London-based chocolatier and petit fours specialist Marasu’s produces these for Harrods. Each milk chocolate decorated teardrop is filled with white chocolate ganache infused with Spanish saffron. “They have a delightfully creamy texture,” said judges. www.marasu.co.uk
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewNational Trust blackcurrant curd – THURSDAY COTTAGE
Added August 9th, 2013
Prepared by hand at Thursday Cottage’s Essex HQ, the main ingredients in this curd are free range eggs, free range butter, blackcurrant juice and cane sugar. Great Taste judges praised the product’s smoothness, colour and buttery texture as well as the balance between sharp blackcurrant and sweetness. www.thursday-cottage.com
Show me more ▶ Watch the video reviewSalt-aged Glenarm Shorthorn beef – HANNAN MEATS
Added August 9th, 2013
Having revolutionised the pig’s cheek with last year’s Supreme Champion guanciale, Northern Ireland’s Hannan Meats has turned its attention to beef. This rack is prepared in Hannan’s recently constructed dry-aging chamber using a 12ft high solid wall of hand-cut Himalayan rock salt bricks. Judges said it was “very tender and soft, a lovely texture and […]
Show me more ▶ Watch the video review