A number of top-quality food producers from Donegal have scooped awards in this year’s Blas na hÉireann Awards.
The Irish Food Awards is the biggest competition for quality Irish produce on the island of Ireland, where Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards are given across a broad range of food and drink categories.
Among the local winners is Inishowen woman Susan McLaughlin, founder of Love A Little Sauces.
Susan, who is part of SuperValu’s Food Academy programme is celebrating after scooping Bronze for her Love A Little Salted Caramel Dessert Sauce. Susan’s award-winning dessert sauces are available on the Taste of Local fixture in SuperValu stores throughout Donegal.
Other Donegal winners include Natural Dairies Convoy (producer of the award-winning Dunnes Stores Rich & Luxurious Double Cream) and Green Pastures Donegal (Creme Fraiche) who both Bronze medals in the Dairy category. Green Pastures, supported by Donegal LEO, won the Best in County Award for Donegal.
The Gold Savoury Pantry awards for oils went to Donegal Rapeseed Oil for their Classic and Cold Pressed Specially Selected oils.
Now in its 15th year, the Blas awards are the biggest blind tasting of produce in the country, and the criteria on which the product is judged as well as the judging system itself, which was developed by Blas na hÉireann with the Food Science Dept of UCC, is now recognised as an international industry standard.
