Traditionally pressed apple juice, cream-based dairy products and dry-cured ham were among the winners at the Irish Food Writers' Guild Awards yesterday.
The awards, in their 12th year, are presented to producers of products nominated by guild members. Producers can neither enter themselves nor be entered, guild member Biddy White Lennon explained.
"They are products that we spot during the year that are particularly good."
She said the guild holds a "tasting meeting" of products and four are finally chosen.
Ballycross Apple Farm, run by the Von Englebrechten family in Co Wexford, won an award for their "wonderful apple juices from hand-picked fruit, grown in their own orchards". They specialise in producing juices using traditional pressing methods.
Glenilen Farm in Drimoleague, west Cork, run by Alan and Valerie Kingston, won an award for their "excellent products" including clotted and double cream, quark and natural and probiotic yoghurts.
The Brady family, who produce "a range of exceptionally succulent and flavoursome Irish hams", won an award for their use of "traditional craft skills and the old Brady curing and cooking methods".
The fruit producer, Keelings - also a family company - won an award for their peppers grown in glass houses, which Ms Lennon described as "excellent, with a wonderful flavour".
As well as the four awards, a lifetime award was made to Jack and Betty Hick "for their dedication to the production of traditional handcrafted pork products".
Ms Lennon said the awards were not just an acknowledgement of excellence, but were also important to producers when selling their goods to bigger buyers such as supermarkets and at trade fairs.
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