2011 ABC delicious magazine Produce Awards winners

I reckon we’ve always been “the lucky country”. Over the last twenty years or so though, we’ve come a long way in Australia, with the wonderful range of beautiful produce that we have available to us. That has been driven largely by chefs in our high end restaurants, and gratefully supported by you as consumers, and our increasing interest in farmers’ markets. It’s great to see magazines like ABC delicious encouraging our producers too, and this year introducing a new artisan category in it’s awards. The finalists for this year’s 2011 Produce Awards were announced in the July issue of ABC delicious. magazine.

All entrants were shortlisted by a panel of Australia’s leading chefs from around the nation before being presented to the national judges. This year, judging took place over two days at Justin North’s new cooking school Quarter 21 in Westfield Sydney, where our five national judges gathered to critique produce from the categories – earth, dairy, paddock and sea. In addition to the primary producers, this year has seen the introduction of a new award for Artisan Products, aimed at discovering specialists and providores working with their local primary growers to bring quality products to consumers. The two days of judging uncovered an abundance of quality from some of Australia’s top producers.

The national judging panel comprises some of Australia’s most respected chefs, including:

- Matt Moran (ARIA Restaurant, NSW & QLD)
- Philip Johnson (E’cco Bistro, QLD)
- Cheong Liew (The Botanical, VIC)
- Alla Wolf-Tasker (The Lake House, VIC)
- Maggie Beer (Patron of the Produce Awards, SA)

“Despite the hugely challenging conditions that many producers have faced this year, we are proud to have received an unprecedented number of nominations for the 2011 awards. The introduction of the new Artisan Award category has also been incredibly well received. It recognises the specialist producers and providores that are working with primary producers, and is vital in helping to promote products that are readily available to consumers.”

“Delicious is proud to continue to support and recognise our Australian producers who are such an important part of our thriving food industry.” Trudi Jenkins, delicious. Magazine Editor in Chief

Since launching in 2005, the Produce Awards have encouraged, showcased and rewarded Australian producers, building awareness of culinary regions and recognising fresh, seasonal food that is produced with integrity. Now in their sixth year, the Produce Awards have received the growing support from producers, chefs and readers, reinforcing the growing demand for information about quality Australian produce.

The winners of the 2011 Produce Awards will be announced in the August issue of ABC delicious. magazine which will be released on July 27, 2011.

2011 Produce Awards Finalists

FROM THE EARTH
- Australian Finger Lime Company
- Hand ‘n’ Hoe Organic Macadamias
- Budgi Werri Prunes
- Bellata Gold Milling
- Li-Sun Exotic Mushrooms
- Darling Mills Farm
- The Brasserie Bread Company (ARTISAN)
- Sweetness The Patisserie (ARTISAN)
- Tinaberries
- Daintree Vanilla & Spice
- OlivFresh Organic Olives
- Midyim Eco
- Squeaky Green
- Kolophon Capers
- Humbugz Honey
- Shima Wasabi
- Tas-Saff
- Miellerie
- Tasmanian Gourmet Kitchen (ARTISAN)
- Mt Alexander Fruit Gardens
- Moondarra Blueberries
- Angelica Organic Farm
- Cobram Estate
- Laharum Grove
- Murray River Salt
- Yarra Valley Gourmet Greenhouse
- Peninsula Fresh Organics
- Snowy River Station Samphire
- Eden Valley Biodynamic

FROM THE DAIRY
- Country Valley Milk
- Barambah Organics
- B.-d.Farm Paris Creek
- Udder Delights (ARTISAN)
- Pyengana Dairy Company
- Belstone Goat Cheese
- Bruny Island Cheese Co (ARTISAN)
- Yarra Valley Dairy
- Meredith Dairy
- Gundowring Fine Foods
- Holy Goat Cheese
- Capra Organic Goat’s Cheese
- The Butter Factory Myrtleford (ARTISAN)
- Ringwould

FROM THE SEA
- Spanner Crabs Noosa
- Clean Seas Aquaculture
- Pristine Oyster Farm
- Kinkawooka Shellfish
- Woodbridge Smokehouse (ARTISAN)
- Yarra Valley Salmon
- Blue Ridge Marron
- Marine Produce Australia
- The Fremantle Octopus Company

FROM THE PADDOCK
- Gundooee Organics
- Macleay Valley Rabbits
- Mirrool Creek Lamb
- Jelm Pastoral Lamb
- Cornucopia Biodynamic Farm
- Redgate
- Papanui Open Range Eggs
- Organic Poultry Of Burrawong
- Pacdon Park (ARTISAN)
- Silverwood Organic Lamb
- Mallow Lamb
- Banyard Game Birds
- Mayura Station
- Richard Gunner Fine Meats
- Schu Am Pork
- Cape Grim Beef
- Lenah Game Meats
- Rare Food (ARTISAN)
- Boks Bacon (ARTISAN)
- Blackmore Mishima Beef
- Moondarra
- Warialda Belted Galloway Beef
- Sher Wagyu
- Wurrock Superfine Prime
- Fernleigh Free-Range
- Seven Hills Tallarook
- Western Plains Pork
- Greenvale Farm Rare Breed Pork
- Della Gola prime
- White Rocks Veal

Finalist Richard Gunner (who is also a contributor to Inside Cuisine) told us, “Pure Suffolk lamb is excited once again to be a finalist in the Delicious Produce Awards. Our lamb is one of the few in Australia grown from pure bred meat sheep. With no crossbreeding or merino bloodlines. We are the only lamb producers in the world actively selecting and breeding for marbling in our lamb, through this we have been able to produce a succulent, juicy and luxurious lamb from a grass fed system. Our lamb is served in some of Australia’s best restaurants including Quay for the past 3 years.”

The winners of the 2011 Produce Awards, brought to you by ABC delicious. magazine, were announced tonight at Guillaume at Bennelong, Sydney.

THE WINNERS of the five major, highly coveted categories are:

WINNER, FROM THE SEA & PRODUCER OF THE YEAR – PETIT BOUCHOT MUSSELS, KINKAWOOKA SHELLFISH CO. (SA)
Regarded worldwide as the benchmark of mussels, the famous Petit Bouchot, from the Brittany region of South West France, was the inspiration for Kinkawooka’s team which left judges speechless with their perfectly formed mussel. “The almost obsessive quality measures and real pride taken by Kinkawooka have created a mussel that is so sweet and perfect in flavour,” says Maggie Beer.

WINNER, FROM THE DAIRY – GUNDOWRING FINEST ICE CREAM (VIC)
Fourth generation farmers and concerned environmentalists Sarah & Stephen Crooke, together with their two sons, create their ice cream with fresh, rich, creamy milk from their herd of Holstein cows and the best regional and seasonal ingredients including superb quality local grown fruit, nuts and honey. “Gundowring is one of those orchard-to-bowl, paddock-to-plate stories that one wishes could be true of all food,” says Alla Wolf-Tasker.

WINNER, FROM THE EARTH – SHIMA WASABI FRESH WASABI STEM & LEAVES (TAS)
The word shima is Japanese for island, hence Shima Wasabi translates to Island Wasabi. It is grown in the pristine Tasmanian environment, ensuring maximum flavour and quality. The stem provides a hot, sweet flavour when freshly grated. The glossy, deep green leaves are ideal as a garnish “Fresh wasabi tastes green, gutsy and sharp,” says Cheong Liew. “At last we have the real thing for our sashimi.”

WINNER, FROM THE PADDOCK – MONDO WHITE ROCKS VEAL (WA)
A previous winner in the 2009 Produce Awards, Mondo White Rocks Veal has been developed as the leading quality veal in Australia and holds its own not just in the Australian food industry, but on the world stage. “It’s a product that Australia should be proud of,” says Philip Johnson. “The purity of flavour is clearly world class.”

WINNER, ARTISAN – PACDON PARK HAGGIS (NSW)
This year sees the introduction of this new award for artisan products, aimed at discovering specialists and provedores working with their local primary growers. This new category was judged and decided by judges Valli Little, Simon Marnie and Martin Boetz. Pacdon Park pride themselves on crafting the very best of British small goods from the best Australian ingredients. The true Highland Haggis is made using lamb pluck and flank from a local border Leicesters stud. “The standout in this category was Pacdon Park haggis – beautifully presented with such a complexity of flavour,” says Simon Marnie.

The medallists in the five major categories are:

MEDALLISTS FROM THE SEA
· CONE BAY OCEAN BARRAMUNDI (WA)
· SPANNER CRABS NOOSA RAW CRAB MEAT (QLD)
· YARRA VALLEY SALMON CAVIAR (VIC)

MEDALLISTS FROM THE DAIRY
· B.-D. FARM PARIS CREEK QUARK (SA)
· HOLY GOAT CHEESE LA LUNA (VIC)

MEDALLISTS FROM THE EARTH
· MT ALEXANDER FRUIT GARDENS ORGANIC STONE FRUIT (VIC)
· SNOWY RIVER STATION SAMPHIRE (VIC)
· BELLATA GOLD DURUM SEMOLINA (NSW)
· COBRAM ESTATE PREMIER EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (VIC)
· LI-SUN EXOTIC MUSHROOMS (NSW)

MEDALLISTS FROM THE PADDOCK
· SHER WAGYU BEEF (VIC)
· FEAST! FINE FOOD PURE SUFFOLK LAMB (SA)
· SCHU AM BERKSHIRE PORK (SA)
· REDGATE FARM JURASSIC QUAIL (NSW)
· CORNUCOPIA BIODYNAMIC FARM HEN’S EGGS (NSW)
· MACLEAY VALLEY RABBITS (NSW)
· FERNLEIGH FREE-RANGE CHORIZO (VIC)

ARTISAN
· BRASSERIE BREAD FRENCH MOUNTAIN BREAD (NSW)
· UDDER DELIGHTS GOAT’S CURD (SA)
· WOODBRIDGE SMOKEHOUSE SMOKED OCEAN TROUT (TAS)

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
KINKAWOOKA SHELLFISH CO. (SA)

BEST NEW PRODUCT
SNOWY RIVER STATION SAMPHIRE (VIC)

OUTSTANDING USE OF REGIONAL PRODUCE BY A CHEF
DAVID MOYLE, THE STACKINGS AT PEPPERMINT BAY (TAS)

HERITAGE AWARD
FIONA CHAMBERS, FERNLEIGH FARMS (VIC)

THE REGIONAL AWARD
HUON VALLEY (TAS)

OUTSTANDING PROVEDORE
IAN & LIZ HEMPHILL, HERBIE’S SPICES

OUTSTANDING FARMERS’ MARKET
EVELEIGH FARMERS’ MARKET (NSW)

HALL OF FAME AWARDS
HOLY GOAT CHEESE LA LUNA (VIC)
BLACKMORE WAGYU BEEF (VIC)
SPANNER CRABS NOOSA RAW CRAB MEAT (QLD)

MAGGIE BEER AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTRALIAN FOOD – NEIL PERRY, CHEF/RESTAURATEUR, ROCKPOOL

ABC delicious. magazine congratulates all the winners of the 2011 Produce Awards. The complete story and full list of winners and medallists will appear in the August issue of ABC delicious. magazine, on sale Wednesday 27 July 2011.