Free From Food Award Winners

I always look forward to the winners list from the Annual FreeFrom Food Awards run by our friends at FoodsMatter. This year, the overall winner was a dairy-free cheese that all the dairy-free judges thought was great; no mean feat for a cheese!

‘Ohmigod! This is the best thing I have tasted in years!!!’ So said not one, but all five dairy-free judges after they had tasted the Vegusto Mild Aromatic Dairy-free cheese, winner of this year’s FreeFrom Food Awards, which were presented last night by Antony Worrall Thompson at the Museum of London in Docklands.

‘For years dairy free and vegan manufacturers have struggled to make a really tasty ‘cheese’ substitute,’ said Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, chair of the judges for the FreeFrom Food Awards, ‘but they have never been able to crack it. Which makes Vegusto’s achievement so exciting. We are not talking vintage cheddar here, but we are talking a very pleasant, tasty ‘cheese’ that you could serve to anyone on a cracker or in a sandwich and they would not even notice that it was dairy free. Our dairy-intolerant judges were beside themselves with delight!’

Other products vying for the winner’s prize included:

The Gluten Free Kitchen’s Ovencrust Chicken & Bacon Pie (Winner of the Pies, flans and ready meals category)

‘A lovely golden pie’ said the judges, ‘Great, crisp pastry with a succulent, tasty chicken filling – you would never know it was gluten, wheat and dairy free and could even be egg free. There is a real need for savoury freefrom pies and this ticks all the boxes.’

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Joint winner of the Ingredients category)

The judges were very impressed with this unusual flour combination from Oregon that includes chickpeas and fava beans along with potato, tapioca and sorghum flours. ‘Extremely versatile’, they said ‘while being protein and fibre rich. A really excellent mix.’

Anila’s Sauces Goan Green Sauce (Joint winner of the Ingredients category)

‘Anila’s sauces are always so wonderful’ said one judge, expressing the views of all, ‘as she uses such fresh and pure ingredients in such a perfect balance. Deep green flavour and fantastic ingredients.’

Daas – Ambre Beer (Winner of the Gluten-free Beer category)

‘So good that gluten-free beer can really hold its head up in the pub these days’ was the verdict of several of our beer judges. ‘Daas’ Ambre beer was a deep amber colour,’ they went on, ‘with a yellow head, fruity aroma, fruity flavour. An excellent, well-balanced beer.’

inSpiral’s Raw Dehydrated Kale Chips: Cheesie Purple Corn (Winner of the Raw food category)

‘What a lovely innovative product – puts a whole new complexion on ‘raw’ food’. The judges loved the inSpiral’s kale chips and the fact that they were so totally freefrom and so cheese-ily tasty without any cheese!

Here, too, are the winners in other categories for you. You can also see the full list of those who won, were highly commended or commended at the Awards website. Put your feet up, google these products and have a read. Then go spice up your freefrom cupboard! Enjoy. And well done FoodsMatter. Again. What would we do without them?

Innovation Award

Winner:

Bessant & Drury Fine Ice Cream Co. – Lemon

 Dairy-free animal milk, butter, yogurt – sponsored by Swedish Glace

Winner:

Woodlands Dairy Gooseberry & Elderflower with Natural Sheep Milk Yoghurt

Plant ‘milk’, spread & cheese – sponsored by Pure Dairy Free

Joint Winners:

CoYo Natural yoghurt

Vegusto Mild Aromatic Dairy-Free Cheese

FreeFrom Breakfast Cereals – sponsored by Fria Gluten Free

Winner:

Sainsbury’s – FreeFrom Oaty Granola

Gluten-free breads and bread mixes – sponsored by Genius Gluten Free

Winner:

Fria Grova Dark Seeded Sliced Loaf

Gluten-free pasta and pizza bases/mixes – sponsored by Tesco

Winner:

Farabella Acini di Pepe/Pasta Grains

Freefrom foods manufactured for food service – sponsored by Livwell

Joint Winners:

Red House Foods Gluten Free Chicken Bites

Sauces for Kids Tikka Sauce

Freefrom Ingredients – sponsored by Juvela

Joint Winners:

Anila’s Sauces Goan Green Sauce

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour

Raw foods and superfoods – sponsored by Asda

Winner:

inSpiral Raw Dehydrated Kale Chips: Cheesie Purple Corn

Savoury pies, sausages & ready meals – sponsored by Delamere Dairy

Winners:

Meat-based meal centres: Co-operative Truly Irresistible Minted Lamb Burgers

Pies, flans & pizzas: Gluten Free Kitchen Ovencrust Chicken & Bacon Pie

Gluten-free savoury biscuits and snacks – sponsored by Genon Laboratories

Joint Winners:

Darling Spuds Tomato, Olive & Oregano

Juvela Crostini Bites

Gluten-free scones, sweet tarts, Bakewells, muffins etc – sponsored by Tesco

Joint Winners:

Sugargrain Almond, Apricot and Tahini Flapjack

Sweetcheeks Almondies

Gluten-free cakes and mixes – sponsored by Mrs Crimbles

Joint Winners:

Sweetcheeks Maple & Pecan Cupcakes

The Cake Crusader Gluten, Wheat and Dairy Free Carrot Cake

Gluten-free puddings, desserts & cheesecakes – sponsored by Hale & Hearty

Winner:

Food Heaven Sicilian Lemon Cheesecake

Dairy/gluten-free chocolate and snack bars – sponsored by Tesco

Winner:

Booja Booja Rum Sozzled Sultana Chocolate Truffles

Dairy/gluten-free Christmas foods – sponsored by Produced in Italy

Winner:

Foodamentalists Frangipane mince pies

Gluten-free beer – sponsored by Asda

Winner:

Daas Ambre Beer