DUBBED the “Oscars of the fine food world,” the Great Taste Awards 2009 have just been announced by the Guild of Fine Food.

The awards are nationally recognised as the independent benchmark for fine foods and each gold winner will have been blind tasted by a minimum of eight experts.

High profile judges this year included Charles Campion, Anthony Worrall-Thompson, Sarah Jane Evans MW and Amy Lame.

Out of a total of 4,873 entries, 1,030 products were awarded Gold – 639 were awarded one star, 308 were awarded two stars and just 83 were awarded the highest accolade of three-star gold, which is reserved for products that are considered faultless.

Sharing the bragging rights in Dorset were Swanage-based artisan chocolate makers, Chococo and the Dorset Village Bakery.

The latter won a three-star gold for their Dipped Stem Ginger Biscuits, and two two-star golds for their Dark Chocolate Florentines and their Charcoal and Oat and Walnut Duo Pack.

Meanwhile Chococo won a three-star gold for their Blackcurrant Beauty chocolate, a two-star gold for their Blackstrap Harry and a one-star for their Berry White.


Holidaymakers and foodies can experience the delights of the famous Isle of Wight annual Garlic Festival at The Garlic Farm near Newchurch on Saturday and Sunday.

Over 20,000 visitors are expected to attend the quirky festival where they can sample a range of garlicky treats including garlic sausages, garlic prawns and hot garlic bread.

For more information visit garlic-festival.co.uk.


POOLE’S Loch Fyne restaurant is offering little tiddlers free meals throughout August.

The seafood restaurant is offering children a free two-course meal with every adult main course.

Their Little Tiddler menu features crunchy salmon or haddock goujons with chips ’n’ peas, fish of the day with veggies galore or mighty mussels and chips.

All the fish is fresh and sustainably sourced.