Dozens of Norfolk producers gained recognition from the Great Taste Awards this year. We've cherry picked the biggest winners.
The Great Taste Awards are some of the most coveted foodie accolades in the UK. There's probably no finer moment for a producer than being able to paste a Great Taste label on the ingredient they've lovingly made – showing it's been tested and approved by some of the fussiest tastebuds in Great Britain.
Dozens of Norfolk food and drink makers made the cut this year, but here are the products that made the biggest impression.
Fine City Blend, 3 stars, Strangers Coffee
The guys behind this speciality coffee brand know their beans. It's run by Alex Sergeant, Samuel and William Maddocks – with Alex having twice been in the top 15 of the UK Barista Championships.
The trio sell a select range of small batch roasted beans and love telling customers about the origins and characteristics of each. As well as the winning Fine City Blend, favourites are the 2017 Rocko Mountain coffee from Ethiopia (said to have sweet berry and tropical fruit notes), and La Esperanza from Guatemala – with hints of dried fruit, milk chocolate and hazelnuts.
Self-raising Norfolk Saffron Flour, 2 stars, Norfolk Saffron
One of the world's most prized and expensive spices is grown right here in Norfolk – allowing chefs and home cooks to imbue their cooking with a its golden hues –minus the air miles.
You only need a teensy amount of the crimson strands to bring life to your aioli, soups, risottos and even cakes.
Keen bakers should look out for this flour, which makes the most amazingly-coloured scones and sponges – being speckled with Norfolk Saffron. A real treat.
Red Wine and Black Pepper Beef Jerky, 2 stars, Marsh Pig
Around 228g of meat is used to make just 100g of this protein-packed snack. Using premium rare breed and rare breed cross beef, the jerky is infused with rich red wine and plenty of spicy black pepper to entice the senses.
It's just one of the fabulous products from Marsh Pig, which is one of the leaders in the British charcuterie industry, making small batches of coppa, lomo, salami and more using free-range East Anglian produce.
Costa Rica Single Origin, 3 stars, Three Bean Espresso Blend and Guatemala Single Origin, both 2 stars, Grey Seal
With a string of cafes, and a business selling not only ethically sourced, small batch roasted coffee, but coffee making equipment too – Grey Seal have coffee covered.
The winning in-house special Three Bean Espresso is rich and nutty with a hint of sweetness, blending Brazilian Minas Gerias, Guatemalan Fedecocagua and Costa Rican Terrazu beans.
Seville Orange Marmalade, 2 stars, Ollands Farm Foods
Not the first award for these jam, marmalade and jelly-making ladies, who were multiple winners at the World Original Marmalade Awards 2017. They took prizes for their Seville Orange, Lemon and Herb, Lime and Chilli and Seville Orange with Whisky marmalades.
All the preserves (including the Great Taste Award-winning Seville Orange) are made in Happisburgh with no artificial additives or preserves.
You can get your hands on a pot of the breakfast favourite at farmers' markets in Acle, Hoveton, Thorpe St Andrew's and North Walsham.
Sticky Toffee Pudding, 2 stars, Pudd'Eng
Imagine if you will, a caramelised sponge, plump with sticky dates, drenched in toffee sauce. This is the 'star bake' from Pudd'Eng, an artisan dessert company founded by couple Max and Kate last year.
The ingredients are sourced wherever possible from Norfolk, and include organic flour, natural dried fruits and no artificial flavours or preservatives. The range includes a Chocolate Ale Pudding, which won the Sweet Bakes category at the Great British Food Awards 2016.
Pick up a pud from Earsham Street Deli, Elveden Estate, Back to the Garden Farm Shop, The Norfolk Deli, and City Farm Shop in Norwich.
Norfolk County French Vanilla Ice Cream and Salted Peanut Butter Ice Cream, both 2 stars, Lakenham Creamery
Lakenham's gorgeously creamy ice creams have been made in Norwich since the early 20s, crafted only from fresh cream, egg yolks, sugar and natural flavourings – just like you'd make them at home.
The brand has collected more than 120 Great Taste Awards over the years, but it was the new Salted Peanut Butter and the smooth, rich French vanilla that wowed judges this year.
Other flavours to look out for include Vanilla and Pecan Crunch, Mascarpone and Fig, Coconut and Cream and New York Coffee.
You can pop into the Norwich shop at 2 Trafalgar Street from Monday to Saturday to stock up your freezer.
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