Yorkshire names its top stars all in the best possible taste

Stars of Yorkshire’s food producers were selected this week as the finalists in the annual Yorkshire Post Taste Yorkshire food awards.

A panel of experts gathered in York this week to taste their way through the finest food and drink that Yorkshire has to offer. At the end of the day they had their list of 20 finalists for this year’s Yorkshire Post Food awards and the winners will be announced at the end of September at the climax of the York Food and Drink Festival in the city’s Guildhall.

The judging panel was chaired by Michael Hjort, the director of the food festival and owner and chef at Melton’s and Melton’s Too in the city.

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A record number of entries for the competition had already been whittled down to a shortlist of 45 producers whose food and drink, divided into seven categories, was placed before the judging panel which included Heather Parry, the managing director of Fodder in Harrogate, Grace Mulligan the retired TV chef and Christine Austin, wine correspondent of the Yorkshire Post.

This year there was evidence that cultural crossovers are starting to happen in traditional dishes which Yorkshire people hold most dear. One example came in the shape of an excellent balti sausage which made it to the shortlist and only just failed to make the final cut.

All the judges were agreed on one thing, that all their decisions were hard to make because almost everything they tasted was of excellent quality.

Finalists in each category in alphabetical order

Meats

F&A Walker. Product: Beef

Billys Hill Farm Shop. Product: Treacle and Stout Bacon

Ye Olde Pie and Sausage Shoppe. Product: Rare Breed Dry Cured Bacon

Growers

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Newfields Organic Produce. Product: Fennel Kohl Rabi, Carrots

The Balloon Tree farm Shop and Café. Product: Strawberries

Pies

Billys Hill Farm Shop. Product: Moroccan Lamb Pie.

The Farmers Arms. Product: Pheasant and Yorkshire Chorizo Pie.

Ye Olde Pie and Sausage Shoppe. Product: Yorkshire Free Range Pork Pie

Handmade

Brown and Blonde. Product: Brownies and Blondies.

C Lumb and Son, Far Barsey Farm Shop. Product: Yorkshire Tea Bread.

Pattacakes. Product: Yorkshire Rhubarb Custard Crumble Tart

Preserves

Mercers of Yorkshire. Product: Raspberry Conserve

Stickeys. Product: Honey

Sylvia Thompson. Product: James and Preserves.

Local drink

Bridgehouse Brewery. Product: Bridgehouse Porter.

Great Newsome Brewery. Product: Sleck Dust ale.

Wold Top Brewery. Product: Scarborough Fair IPA.

Dairy

Shepherd’s Purse Cheeses. Product: Harrogate Blue cheese.

Yorvale. Product: Lemon, Honey and Ginger Ice Cream

Yummy Yorkshire Ice Cream Company. Product: Yorkshire Parkin Ice Cream.