HARTFORD–The CT Specialty Food Association (CSFA) held it’s twelfth Product Awards Competition on Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville. One hundred eighty-four specialty food items from Connecticut-based manufacturers were entered into 35 categories, with hopes of receiving the prestigious honor of CSFA Product Award Winner 2013. A complete list of Wednesday’s winners appears below.
A panel of 20 judges consisting of local media personalities, food writers, chefs from the CT Department of Agriculture’s Farm-to-Chef Program, and wine specialists scored products on overall taste/flavor, texture, aroma, and appearance/color. Each judge was assigned to specific categories, responsible for evaluating an average of approximately 30 different products.
Categories included breads, cheese, CT Grown, dessert, gluten-free, ice cream, jam, organic, pasta sauce, salad dressing, savory condiments, snack food, and many others. We also proudly included a variety of wines produced here in Connecticut. All wines were required to contain 100% CT grown fruit. The wide array of food products featured fresh cheeses, cookies, honey, many varieties of sauce, jams, relishes, flavored seeds, oils and vinegars, syrups and much, much more.
“It is always amazing to see the variety of high quality foods and beverages made by producers right here in Connecticut,” said Tricia Levesque, CSFA Director. “This competition showcases the best of the best in the state. Each year we seem to find new entrepreneurs looking to showcase the outstanding products they produce. The products all lend themselves to special occasions, treats, or an everyday meal. They also make wonderful gifts. There is always something for everyone.”
“Purchasing products from Connecticut companies helps to fuel our local economy and create jobs here in our state, which is very important given today’s economy,” Ms. Levesque continued. “It really is a win-win for everyone – consumers get the best quality foods available and Connecticut companies stay strong.”
Consumers looking for CT specialty food products can visit www.ctspecialtyfood.org and ask for them at local markets and grocers.
CSFA is a subdivision of the CT Food Association and is a non-profit organization that represents small food businesses based in the state. To learn more, visit www.ctfoodassociation.org or email ctfood@ctfoodassociation.org.
CT Specialty Food Association: 2013 Product Awards Competition Winners
2013 Food Product of the Year
Ariston Specialties, LLC, Bloomfield, CT
Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2013 Wine Product of the Year
Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT
Cayuga White, 2010
Aged Cheese
1st Place
Cato Corner Farm, LLC, Colchester, CT
Dairyere
2nd Place - TIE
Cato Corner Farm, LLC, Colchester, CT
Bloomsday
Cato Corner Farm, LLC, Colchester, CT
Vivace
3rd Place
Cato Corner Farm, LLC, Colchester, CT
Black Ledge Blue
Bread
1st Place
Storye Bread, Glastonbury, CT
Fine Rye
2nd Place
Storye Bread, Glastonbury, CT
Classic Rye
3rd Place
Storye Bread, Glastonbury, CT
Fine Rye with Fruit & Nuts
Cookie
1st Place
Rachel’s Cookies & Treats, Plainville, CT
PB & C
2nd Place
Rachel’s Cookies & Treats, Plainville, CT
Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookie
3rd Place - TIE
Rachel’s Cookies & Treats, Plainville, CT
Lemon Cookie
Rachel’s Cookies & Treats, Plainville, CT
Sugar Cookie
CT Grown
1st Place - TIE
Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market, Guilford, CT
Apple Cider
Killam & Bassette Farmstead, LLC, South Glastonbury, CT
Strawberry Jam
2nd Place - TIE
Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market, Guilford, CT
Apple Butter
Winding Drive Corp., Woodbury, CT
Pear with Honey Ginger Jam
3rd Place
White Oak Farm & Table, Westport, CT
Apple Jalapeno Finishing Sauce
Dessert
1st Place
Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market, Guilford, CT
Apple Cider Donuts
2nd Place
Sixpence Pie Company, LLC, Southington, CT
Banana Cream Pie
3rd Place
Sixpence Pie Company, LLC, Southington, CT
Apple Pie
Frozen Food
1st Place
Sixpence Pie Company, LLC, Southington, CT
Chicken Pot Pie
2nd Place
Sixpence Pie Company, LLC, Southington, CT
Shepard’s Pie
Gluten Free
1st Place
El’s Kitchen, Stratford, CT
Medleys Original Snack Mix
2nd Place
El’s Kitchen, Stratford, CT
Medleys Sour Cream & Onion Snack Mix
3rd Place
Shayna B’s & the Pickle, Ashford, CT
Coconut Bliss Cake
Grain
1st Place
Ola! Foods, Norwalk, CT
Ola! Granola – Cranberry Orange Pecan
2nd Place
Ola! Foods, Norwalk, CT
Ola! Granola – Vanilla Almond
Honey
1st Place
Tiezzi Imports, LLC, Chester, CT
Tutti Amici Wildflower Honey
2nd Place
Tiezzi Imports, LLC, Chester, CT
Tutti Amici Clover Honey
3rd Place - TIE
Tiezzi Imports, LLC, Chester, CT
Tutti Amici Acacia Honey
Tiezzi Imports, LLC, Chester, CT
Tutti Amici Chestnut Honey
Hors d’Oeuvre
1st Place
Sixpence Pie Company, LLC, Southington, CT
Mini Pasties
2nd Place
J.F. Food Concepts, Inc./Fortuna Food Products, Burlington, CT
Fresh Fortuna’s Bruschetta – Mild
3rd Place
J.F. Food Concepts, Inc./Fortuna Food Products, Burlington, CT
Fresh Fortuna’s Bruschetta – Original
Hot Sauce
1st Place
Winding Drive Corp., Woodbury, CT
Spiced Tomato Spread
2nd Place
Saha Sauces, LLC, Newtown, CT
Chipotle Harissa
3rd Place - TIE
El Peka Foods, LLC, New London, CT
Miss Hortencia’s Original Mexican Hot Sauce
Giff’s Original, LLC, Cheshire, CT
Hot & Spicy Cooking Sauce
Ice Cream
1st Place - TIE
Tea-rrific! Ice Cream, Norwalk, CT
Chunky London Mist
Tea-rrific! Ice Cream, Norwalk, CT
Masala Chai
2nd Place - TIE
Figo Brands, Inc., Westport, CT
Forte Gelato Chocolate
Tea-rrific! Ice Cream, Norwalk, CT
Ginger Matcha
3rd Place
Tea-rrific! Ice Cream, Norwalk, CT
London Mist
Jam
1st Place
Winding Drive Corp., Woodbury, CT
Blueberry Limón cello
2nd Place
Winding Drive Corp., Woodbury, CT
Raspberry Chocolate Jam
3rd Place
White Oak Farm & Table, Westport, CT
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Non-Alcoholic Beverage
1st Place - TIE
Raus Coffee Company, Stamford, CT
Cold Roman Coffee Beverage
Raus Coffee Company, Stamford, CT
Roman Kiss Coffee Beverage
2nd Place
Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea, Branford, CT
Ethiopia Yrgacheffe Kochere Grade 1 Coffee
Oil
1st Place
Ariston Specialties, LLC, Bloomfield, CT
Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2nd Place
Chiappetta Olive Oil, LLC, Stamford, CT
Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3rd Place
Tiezzi Imports, LLC, Chester, CT
Tutti Amici Olive Oil
Organic
1st Place
Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea, Branford, CT
Sumatra Mandheling Fair Trade & Organic Coffee
2nd Place
Gourganics Salsa & Simmer Sauce, Fairfield, CT
Gourganics Mild Salsa
Packaging
1st Place
Giff’s Original, LLC, Cheshire, CT
Jalapeno Pepper Relish
2nd Place
Krazy for Kazu’s, Inc., Falls Village, CT
Quinoa Miso Spread
Pasta Sauce
1st Place
Chef Silvio’s of Wooster Street, Guilford, CT
Chef Silvio’s Fradiavolo Sauce
2nd Place
Frank’s Marinara, Amston, CT
Frank’s Fradiavolo Sauce
3rd Place
Capa di Roma, East Hartford, CT
Capa di Roma Three Cheese Marinara Sauce
Relish
1st Place
Killam & Bassette Farmstead, LLC, South Glastonbury, CT
Sugar Free Zucchini Relish
2nd Place
Killam & Bassette Farmstead, LLC, South Glastonbury, CT
Zucchini Relish
3rd Place
Southern Relishes, LLC, West Haven, CT
Sweet & Spicy Relish
Salad Dressing
1st Place
Kerry Wood Healthy Foods, Westport, CT
Tuscany
2nd Place
Krazy for Kazu’s, Inc., Falls Village, CT
Japanese Style Ginger Dressing
3rd Place
Kerry Wood Healthy Foods, Westport, CT
Ginger Carrot
Salsa
1st Place
Gourganics Salsa & Simmer Sauce, Fairfield, CT
Gourganics Spicy Salsa
2nd Place
Giff’s Original, LLC, Cheshire, CT
Garden Vegetable Salsa
Savory Condiment
1st Place
Krazy for Kazu’s, Inc., Falls Village, CT
Stir Fry Barbecue Sauce
2nd Place - TIE
The Gracious Gourmet, Bridgewater, CT
Hatch Chile Pesto
White Oak Farm & Table, Westport, CT
Honey Mustard Crunch Mustard
3rd Place
White Oak Farm & Table, Westport, CT
Champagne Dill Mustard
Savory Spread
1st Place
Winding Drive Corp., Woodbury, CT
Habanero Gold Jelly
2nd Place
The Gracious Gourmet, Bridgewater, CT
Rosemary Pear Spread
3rd Place
The Gracious Gourmet, Bridgewater, CT
Fig Almond Spread
Snack Food
1st Place
Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market, Guilford, CT
Maple Kettlecorn
2nd Place - TIE
Kathie’s Kitchen, LLC, North Haven, CT
Superseedz – Sea Salt
Oats Granola, Westport, CT
Oats Granola Vanilla Almond
3rd Place
Oats Granola, Westport, CT
Oats Granola Toasted Coconut
Sweet Topping
1st Place - TIE
The Purple Pear by Tina, Willington, CT
French Caramel Cream with Pecans
The Purple Pear by Tina, Willington, CT
Fresh Summer Berry
The Purple Pear by Tina, Willington, CT
Hot Fudge Cream
2nd Place
The Purple Pear by Tina, Willington, CT
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
3rd Place
The Purple Pear by Tina, Willington, CT
French Caramel Cream
Syrup
1st Place
Turkeywoods Farm, LLC, Mystic, CT
Strawberry Syrup
2nd Place
Turkeywoods Farm, LLC, Mystic, CT
Hickory Nut Syrup
3rd Place
Turkeywoods Farm, LLC, Mystic, CT
Blueberry Syrup
Tapenade
1st Place
The Gracious Gourmet, Bridgewater, CT
Black Olive Tapenade
2nd Place
The Gracious Gourmet, Bridgewater, CT
Artichoke Parmesan Tapenade
3rd Place
White Oak Farm & Table, Westport, CT
Artichoke Spinach Tapenade
Vinegar
1st Place
Capa di Roma, East Hartford, CT
Balsamic Vinegar
2nd Place
Ariston Specialties, LLC, Bloomfield, CT
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
3rd Place
Ariston Specialties, LLC, Bloomfield, CT
Plum Condiment Vinegar
Wine - Blush
1st Place
Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT
Sunset Blush, 2010
2nd Place
Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT
Amazing Grace
Wine - Dessert
1st Place
Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT
Midnight Ice, 2010
2nd Place
Taylor Brooke Winery, LLC, Woodstock, CT
Corot Noir, 2011
3rd Place
Taylor Brooke Winery, LLC, Woodstock, CT
Woodstock Valley Red, 2010
Wine – Dry Red
1st Place
Jones Winery, Shelton, CT
Cabernet Franc, 2010
2nd Place
Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT
St. Croix, 2008
3rd Place
Jonathan Edwards Winery, North Stonington, CT
Cabernet Franc, 2011
Wine – Dry White
1st Place
Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT
Cayuga White, 2010
2nd Place
Taylor Brooke Winery, LLC, Woodstock, CT
Wine Dog 1, 2011
3rd Place
Taylor Brooke Winery, LLC, Woodstock, CT
Woodstock Hill White, 2011
Wine - Fruit
1st Place
Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT
Hyland Red
2nd Place - TIE
Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT
Celebration
Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT
Honey Peach Melba
3rd Place
Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT
Happily Impeared
Wine – Other White
1st Place
Jones Winery, Shelton, CT
Woodland White, 2011
2nd Place
Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT
Hard Cider – Semi-Sweet
3rd Place
Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT
Blustery Blend, 2010
Wine - Rosé
1st Place
Taylor Brooke Winery, LLC, Woodstock, CT
St. Croix Rosé, 2011
2nd Place
Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT
Rosé, 2011
3rd Place
Jones Winery, Shelton, CT
Rosé of Cabernet Franc, 2011
CONNECTICUT FOOD ASSOCIATIONL Visit us at www.ctfoodassociation.org