Two Great Taste Awards for the Crooked Pickle Co.
Earlier this year we entered our Bread & Butter Pickles and our Korean Pickled Garlic into the Guild of Fine Food's annual Great Taste Awards.
This year 12,777 products were submitted from 106 different countries, all trying to gain a 1, 2 or 3 star Great Taste Award which is regarded as a signpost to an outstanding product. Not every entry receives an award meaning standards are very high.
Covid-19 meant that the judging had to take place remotely which resulted in the announcement of the awards being a little later than usual. When they were finally revealed on 21 September 2020 we were over the moon to have been awarded 2 stars for our Bread & Butter Pickles and 1 star for the Korean Garlic.
Here's what the judges said about the Bread & Butter Pickles:
''This has been well cut and prepared. Gentle aroma on the nose. The cucumber has a good bite and crunch and a pleasing tangy, natural sweetness that offsets any acidity from the vinegar perfectly. A complex mouthfeel as the other spices bring more hints of flavour to the mix. A comfortable finish leaves us more than inclined to reach for more.
The inviting smell as you open the jar is a good indication of what's in store. From the first bite, this is a delicious well-made pickle. The cucumber has a real crunch and tastes tangy and fresh. It's a good balance of the sweet and the sharp, piquant but not too acid. It has a mellow mouthfeel, but the finish delivers a really zesty buzz. Everything comes through cleanly and clearly, including the mustard seed.''
Followed by their comments on the Korean Garlic:
''Super crunchy cloves of garlic in a well-balanced asian-spiced vinegar. The garlic takes on the flavours of the sweet and salty vinegar and has a gentle pungency without being overpowering. Very versatile and great for the larder.
A rich brown glistening marinade with firm generous sized garlic cloves. Pungent aromas of dark soy sauce, molasses sweetness and fragrant Korean spices on the nose. Juicy crunchy garlic gloves, reminiscent of water chestnut in their texture with a sharp tangy centre and the delicate saltiness from the soy on the finish. A new taste sensation and rather delightfully moreish.''
We couldn't agree more!
Buoyed by the results we will definitely be entering more of our products next year.
Thanks to our brilliant PR company, Feistic, news of our awards has also been featured in local media outlets the Derbyshire Times and Destination Chesterfield.