The Great Taste Awards winners have been announced and 12 Lancashire businesses have been recognised. 

The awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, are the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink awards.

Each year, 144 judges, including leading critics, chefs, buyers and restaurateurs, carefully pore over thousands of entrants to select the year’s top products.

How is food rated?

Awards are based on a variety of factors, from the texture and appearance to the quality of ingredients.

3-star: Extraordinarily tasty foods.

2-star:  Above and beyond delicious.

1-star: A food that delivers fantastic flavour.  

Great Taste Award winners in Lancashire

Three Lancashire-based companies managed to secure a three-star rating for their products.

Morecambe-based Udale Speciality Foods secured one for the Dry Aged Lamb Rump. The same company also landed a two-star award and a one-star award for their Traditional Cumberland Sausage, their Dry Aged Duck Leg and their Dry Aged Duck Breast.

The Sachertorte Gelato from Preston’s House of Gelato also won an three-star award for their Dry Aged Herdwick Hogget Shoulder.

A spokesperson said: “We are very pleased to announce we won the much-coveted 3 star Great Taste award for 2021.

“So now we can officially say our gelato has won the top prize at the biggest international food and drinks awards.”

The award for House of Gelato didn’t stop there as they also won a one-star award for their Cremino Gelato and Pistachio Gelato

Exchange Coffee Company, with shops in Clitheroe and Blackburn, managed to secure an impressive four awards for their products.

They won two-star awards for their El Salvador Finca El Gobiado Orange Bourbon and Sumatra Ketiara Queen Gayo products.

Their Ethiopia Kochere and Costa Rica El Poeta de San Ramon coffee each received one star.

Richard Isherwood, general manager of the company, said: “We’re absolutely delighted!

“We always try and enter some coffees every year but it’s the first year all products we have entered have won an award.

“What set us apart is that we roast on the premises. We roast nearly everyday and you have a choice of over 35 different types of coffee and over 70 different sorts of loose tea.”

Singletons & Co, a cheese-making company from Longridge, won a two-star award for their Parlick and Nocellara Olive cheese.

Judges described the cheese as an “interesting” and “well-made”.

Another said: 'This is a delightful cheese with excellent flavour of the sheep's milk which is then given a boost by the very interesting tasty olives.”

Rum-infused Jamaican Gingerbread from Lytham St Annes’ Sandgrown Ventures Ltd were also recognised.

A spokesperson said: “We're over the moon to be winners of another Great Taste Award, this time for our Gingerbread Rum!”

This is what the Guild of Fine Food had to say about it: “Gorgeous, clear, amber colour. Incredible and rich, this has biscuit and cakey gingerbread notes on the nose.

“Dark brown sugar upfront with vanilla and spice notes create a very moreish spirit. Balanced and interesting, it leaves the mouth with plenty to focus on and enjoy. A toffee finish and creamy mouth feel supports this product well.”

The same company also won a one-star award for their Lytham Rum White Chocolate and Coconut.

Carnforth’s VOOM Nutrition’s Beetroot and Raspberry Flapjack won a two-star award.

Altham’s Fine Foods also came home with a two-star award for their Supper Club Beef Lasagne.

Boozy drinks were also praised at the awards with The Ribble Valley Gin Company securing three awards; one-star for their Winter’s Night, Kingsman Gin and Garden Party Gin.

Judges described their Winter’s Night Gin as “a complex beast, with a lovely cinnamon finish. Clever complex gin, with the botanicals really adding to the base spirit, which still asserts its gin character. Not just for Christmas as that's too restrictive.”

Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, located in the small Lancashire village of Inglewhite, secured a one-star accolade for their Blacksticks Blue cheese.

Jack Wright (Fleetwood) Ltd also landed a one-star award for their Three Lights Smokehouse, Natural smoked haddock and Nelson’s Farmhouse Biscuits Ltd also won the same award for their Luxury Milk Chocolate Lemon & Orange Whirls.

Mr Fitzpatrick’s, Britain’s last temperance bar which is located in Rawtenstall, also landed a one-star award for their famous Sarsaparilla.

The business recently appeared on BBC show, The Hairy Bikers Go North, to talk about their unique business.

You can see the full list of winners over on the Great Taste Awards website.