Great Taste Awards 2021

This week we were both proud and humbled to be awarded 3 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food. This takes our total to 32 Great Taste Awards.

Chermoula Paste - 2 stars

This sauce has a very pleasant nose which is fresh and zingy. On the palate we loved the balance between the sweetness, spice and zesty lemon and it tasted very fresh. As a marinade, it cooked well and it is very versatile.

Aromatic, vibrant and peppery. We felt the paste is a well-rounded product with plenty of depth. The slightly oily texture helps coat the chicken. A very versatile product, we can see many uses for this paste. Very impressive.

A deeply aromatic, rich and flavoursome mix, with resonant citrus and heat in beautiful balance. There is a remarkable depth of flavour here and a persistence and pungency the ensure this would work well even in small quantity with almost any protein. A terrific condiment.

We were pleasantly surprised with the definition of all the individual ingredients and how fresh this product tasted. There was a wonderful balance of heat, sweetness and acidity with amazing herb and spice combination. The texture was a little granular but alleviated when used to cook with. Overall a lovely product.

Rogan Josh Curry Paste - 1 star

This thick spice paste has a deep complex aroma. It has been well made and the flavours of the spices are very well balanced. It could be improved slightly by the addition of more salt.

A deep ochre, thick spice paste. The paste itself nis sharp and spicy, with an immediate punch of chilli heat. Used as a paste on chicken, we get the same dry heat on the palate, and a raw flavour that doesn't open up to allow other, more nuanced, spice components to make themselves known.

A deeply aromatic blend which we enjoyed both neat and in application on chicken. Neat, it is well amalgamated and vibrant, with some marked sourness alongside the heat - with chicken, the sourness provides a necessary lift and the heat proves warming rather than insistent. A well judged and well-made blend with the spices beautifully tempered and bright.

Teriyaki Wasabi Sauce - 1 star

 We like the thickness of this sauce which has a good coating consistency. The flavour profile is excellent with a balance of sweetness and piquancy. We like the kick of wasabi in the background which gives a long lasting umami flavour.

The colour of the sauce is appealing and it has a great viscosity. We found the teriyaki base to be high in vinegar and the wasabi to have a blunt heat that overpowered much of the sauce. We would suggest that fresh wasabi root would give a much more rounded profile and not detract from the more nuanced flavours.

A strong sweet/sharp aroma with a hint of fruitiness. The sauce has a thick texture, ideal for coating or dipping, and a surprisingly, almost meaty, savouriness. The oriental flavours of teriyaki, soy and wasabi work well together, as well as whatever is adding that fruity note (plums?) and, although the wasabi brings a wash of heat through the mouth, it doesn't dominate the other flavours. Interesting, well balanced and versatile.