A Spreadable Goats’ Cheese from Donegal, a handmade rhubarb & ginger jam made by G’s Gourmet Jams of Abbeyleix and a reduced salt smoked rack of bacon made by Oliver Carty of Roscommon are three foods produced in Ireland that have been named among the best-tasting Irish foods in UK Great Taste Awards 2012.
The UK Great Taste Award scheme has become known for launching little-known artisan producers into the big time of the fine food world, whilst occasionally discovering the odd mainstream surprise!
Great Taste is the biggest independent benchmarking scheme for local, regional and speciality foods in Britain. Over 350 professional foodies are brought together each year to take part in 45 days of judging, deciding which foods deserve one-star, two-star or the ultimate three-star awards.
To achieve a 3-star grading at the Great Taste Awards involves "at least 25 experts unanimously agreeing that the product tastes divine" - that's a lot of people to persuade, so well done to all those who achieved the 3-Star Awards!
3-Stars in IRELAND
Smoked Rack of Bacon – Oliver Carty Ltd, County Roscommon, Ireland
A reduced-salt smoked rack of bacon.
Yeats Country Spreadable Goats’ Cheese – Green Pastures (Donegal), Lifford, Ireland
G’s Gourmet Rhubarb & Ginger Jam – G's Gourmet Jams (Abbey Farm Foods), County Laois, Ireland.
Rhubarb and ginger jam, handmade made using rhubarb.
Wild Hot-smoked Albacore Tuna Woodcock Smokery 00 353 28 36232
Connacht Gold Softer Butter Connacht Gold 00 353 71 911 0900 / 00 353 71 918 6500 John
3-Stars in NORTHERN IRELAND
Dry-Aged Marrow Butter – Kettyle Irish Foods, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
A butter with bone marrow, blended with a mix of sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Hand-Made Corned Beef – McCartney's of Moira Ltd, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Dry-aged beef (heels of silverside) is slow cooked with pork trotters for 14 hours, then shredded, with all fat removed. Natural juices are added back before pressing.
Hand-Made Sweet Corned Pork – McCartney's of Moira Ltd, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Shoulder pork is dry cured, slow cooked with pork trotters for 12 hours, then shredded, with all the fat removed. Natural juices are added back before pressing.
Moyallon Guanciale – Hannan Meats Ltd, Old, Moira, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Rib Eye Steak Cloughbane Farm Shop 028 8775 8246
Each of the top 50 food and drink products was chosen from the 123 entries awarded a coveted three-star gold from 8,807 products judged in the 2012 Great Taste scheme run by the Guild of Fine Food. Ranging from beers to brownies, saffron to smoked rack of bacon and mincemeat to marmalade, many reflect the return to more traditional foods but with a modern twist.
For Full Results of All 3-Stars, 2-Stars & 1-Star Great Taste Award Winners in Ireland See: http://www.greattasteawards.co.uk/
