FOOD and drink producers from across the Post area are celebrating, after picking up accolades at this year’s Great Taste awards.

Following more than 60 days of judging, the results of the world’s most coveted food awards, Great Taste, have been released. Out of a record breaking 12,336 products to be judged, 4,347 were awarded a highly prized Great Taste accolade, and a remarkable 501 are based in the South West.

From the Post area, producers from Bude, Lifton and Delabole were all recognised for their produce, including Whalesborough Cheese, based in Marhamchurch; Cornish Charcuterie Ltd, from Launcells; Hogs Bottom Preserves from Lifton, and Deli Farm Charcuterie in Delabole.

While many producers revel in their success and begin displaying the unmistakable gold and black Great Taste logo, with 1, 2 or 3 stars on their award-winning products, they will wait with much anticipation to see if they also scoop the top awards for their region.

These final honours, including the Great Taste 2017 supreme champion, will be announced at the Great Taste golden fork awards dinner on Monday, September 4, to be held at the Intercontinental Park Lane Hotel in London.

Recognised as a stamp of excellence among consumers and retailers alike, Great Taste, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, values taste above all else, with no regard for branding or packaging. Whether it is gin, biscuits, sausages or coffee being judges, all products are removed from their wrapper, jar, box or bottle before being tasted. The judges then savour, confer and re-taste to decide which products are worthy of a 1, 2 or 3 star award.

The panel of judges this year included chef, food writer and author, Gill Meller; MasterChef judge and restaurant critic, Charles Campion; author and Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen chef, Zoe Adjonyoh; baker, Tom Herbert; and food writer and baking columnist, Martha Collison — as well as food buyers from Fortnum and Mason, Selfridges, and Harvey Nichols.

Hogs Bottom Preserves have won a two-star award for their Kashmir chutney, a one-star award for their spiced red onion chutney and one star for their lemon and lime fiery chutney.

Malcolm Morrison, from Hogs Bottom Preserves, said: “Yes, we have won again this year. We normally enter every two years — it helps me keep a bit of confidence in the produce we make. As the products are tasted blind, with no logos showing, it gives a provenience.”

They have previously won awards for their Devon chutney, jail ale chutney, breakfast marmalade, passion fruit curd, hot garlic chutney, lemon lime curd, crushed ginger jam and raspberry vinegar.

Launcells-based Norton Barton Artisan Food Village’s Cornish Charcuterie Ltd has also picked up accolades this year — Kalkar, a coffee spirit from the Cornish Distilling Co, and Cornish Lardo from Cornish Charcuterie.

Kalkar is a coffee spirit, made from single origin brew coffee and Cornish distilled rum. Although still due for release, this is the first rum product from the Cornish Disitilling Co.

Head distiller, Tom Read, completed his PhD in bio chemistry before embarking on creating the scratch-distilled Cornish rum. Tom is thrilled that Kalkar received three stars at the Great Taste awards, and such a glowing recognition of the innovation and quality in coffee rum that Kalkar will bring to the market. He said: “The judges’ feedback was amazing, and to be told that Kalkar ‘raises the bar on coffee liqueurs’ is a huge compliment. Now we are looking forward to getting Kalkar released and on the shelves for people to enjoy.”

Cornish Charcuterie has also received two stars for their Cornish Lardo, with judges hailing it as a ‘shining example of British meat curing’. The Lardo is a relatively new product for the team, and something that people may not be too familiar with. Lardo is pork fat from British Lop Pigs, and is typically sliced thinly for charcuterie platers or layered over dishes, providing a savoury and creamy edition.

A spokesperson from Cornish Charcuterie said: “This is not the first award we have won from the Guild of Fine Food, but every time we receive recognition for our products, it is a fantastic feeling and really qualifies what we are creating here at Cornish Charcuterie.”

Sue Proudfoot from Whalesborough Cheese, said: “This year we have won six stars with four cheeses so that can’t be bad. In the past we have shone with 3 star Gold for Miss Muffet and Keltic Gold cheeses but to produce award winning cheeses with Cornish Crumbly and Trelawny right across the range is no mean achievement.”

Details of this year’s winners can be found at www.greattasteawards.co.uk