Saturday, March 31st sees the first day of the massive Love Food Spring Festival at the Brunel Passenger Shed at Temple Meads. In addition to the numerous stalls, demos and talks that make the festival great, the event will also play host to the judging of the “Local Producers” categories of the 2012 Bristol Good Food Awards.
The Local Producers category is sponsored by Almondsbury Garden Centre, and Saturday’s judging follows a period of voting from the Bristol public, both online and at events around Bristol. The votes have been counted, and the three producers that received the most votes in each category will take samples of their products to the Love Food Festival, where winners will be selected after a blind tasting by a panel of judges.
The judging panel is headed up by wine and food expert Angela Mount, and includes Daily Telegraph food editor Xanthe Clay, Good Food channel presenter Thane Prince, Flavour magazine editor Nick Gregory, Emily Knight of Bristol Bites, Barbora Stiess of Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy and Richard Truscott of Almondsbury Garden Centre.
Judging will take place between 10am and 12pm, with winners being announced at 2pm. Festival visitors will then also have the chance to sample the wares of the shortlisted producers.
The shortlisted names in each category are as follows:
Best Local Cheese
Homewood Cheeses
Bath Soft Cheese
Trethowan’s Dairy
Best Local Preserve
The Storecupboard
Rose Farm
Angela’s Kitchen
Best Local Condiment
Heavenly Hedgerows
Woodchester Fine Foods
Forage Fine Foods
Best Local Charcuterie
The Bath Pig
Trealy Farm
Castellano’s
Best Local Oils or Sauces
Bath Harvest
Upton Cheyney Chilli Company
Fussels Fine Foods
Best Local Bakery
Herberts Bakery
Thoughtful Bread
Joe’s Bakery
Best Local Cakes
La Dame Gateau
The Little Cake Stand
Beach House Bakery
Best Local Confectionery
Raw Chocolate Parlour
Upton Cheyney Chilli Company
Maison Lou Lou
Best Local Cider
Lilleys Cider Barn
Thatcher’s
Dick Willows
Best Beer
Bath Ales
Bristol Beer Factory
Wickwar Brewing Co.
Best Local Wine
Wraxhall Vineyard
Heavenly Hedgerows
Three Choirs Vineyard
There are three further categories that will be judged by written entry – Best Local Grower, Best Local Newcomer (sponsored by Love Food Festival) and Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability.
It promises to be a very exciting morning – and I’m thrilled to be on the judging panel! Good luck to all of the producers taking part!
