As some of you readers might know, I’m a judge for the Great Taste Awards – those black stickers you see on some products in farm shops, delis, supermarkets and anywhere else that sells nice food. The awards basically do what their title says on the tin – recognising food and drink that has indisuptable ‘great taste’.
Products can be awarded one, two or three stars and the judging process is a finely-tuned, scarily thorough process involving days and days of blind tasting by an extensive panel including experts from across the country. Just having a Great Taste Award can be great for a producer, and the feedback alone that they get from the awards is worth its weight in gold when it comes to improving their product.
As part of the judging process, just a handful of the products awarded 3 Stars go on to receive a Great Taste Golden Fork Trophy, and of those one is declared Supreme Champion. It’s a big deal, take my word for it.
So why are we talking about Great Taste here? Well, because this year one of our beloved Warwickshire businesses is among those producers nominated for a Golden Fork Trophy so I’m here to shout about it.
Price’s Spices, who you’ll remember I’ve been over to see and learn all about spices, chilli, rubs, seasonings and more, has only gone and been picked as one of the Midlands-made products to be nominated for the trophy.
Mike’s 3-star award-winning Chipotle Coppa, a rather lovely cut of charcuterie, is the only Warwickshire product to be picked, and is representing the Midlands alongside a Seville Orange Fruit Liqueur from Hogg Norton Fruit Liqueurs in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and Willy’s Live Apple Balsamic Vinegar from the Ledbury-based company.
The winners of the Great Taste Golden Fork Trophies will be announced at a reception following the first day of the Fine Food Show North which takes place tomorrow (Sunday, 17th October). That event will also see the announcement of the Great Taste Supreme Champion 2021.
Congratulations Mike – we’ve got everything crossed for you!
For more on the Great Taste Awards, read my piece for The i from a few years ago here.
