Euro-Toques Food Awards 2017 - Special Irish Foods & The People Who Make Them

Georgina Campbell

Held annually to recognise and celebrate the very best food being produced in Ireland, the Euro-Toques Food Awards were established in 1996 by the members of the Euro-Toques Food Committee, based on an original idea by the legendary Myrtle Allen.

The Euro-Toques Food Awards honour those who produce food of notable flavour and quality. Put forward for consideration by the very chefs who use these exceptional products on their menus daily, the Euro-Toques Food Awards give Euro-Toques member chefs the opportunity to nominate the farmers, fishermen, and food producers who make it possible for them to create superb meals by providing them with the absolute best local produce.

Focusing on the foods and production methods that preserve the traditions and heritage of the Irish food, farming and fishing industries, each year Euro-Toques members are asked to nominate their favourite suppliers, creating a list that goes forward to the Euro-Toques Food Council, who then source those nominated products for tasting.

The committee arranges visits, gathers further information and then deliberates, putting a firm focus on flavour first, then how the product is made, what goes into it, what impact it has on the environment and a range of other consideration.

No producer can be in the running unless they have been nominated by a Euro-Toques chef who believes in and buys that product to put on their menu, nor can producers choose to enter the awards or canvass for consideration. This, Euro-Toques believes, is central to the integrity of these awards.

The 2017 Euro-Toques Food Awards winners are five superb producers, ranging from the professional, experienced team of fishmongers at Galway’s Gannet Fishmongers led by Stefan Griesbach who provide the best quality, best value, locally sourced, wild Irish fish to the sensational creamy raw milk from Mimi and Owen Crawford’s small herd of lovely red, white and roan pedigree Shorthorn cows (named Molly, Rosy, Penny, Lucy, Pepper, Ruby, Belle and Roxy!) from the lush pastures of their organic north Tipperary farm.

Also winners this year are the happy herd of over 600 Dexters that make up the heart of Eavaun Carmody’s Dundrum Dexter Beef, reared in a stress-free environment with the application of traditional farming techniques, who roam freely over the rich grasslands of South Tipperary. Eavaun also uses every part of the animal from bones to leather, creating beautiful artisan products and ensuring her business is zero waste, an important factor in her award win.

2017 Awards also went to Marita and Peter Collier’s innovative, tasty and intensely flavoured garlic grown from 800-year old heritage seed on their Co. Louth farm, Drummond House Garlic, and the forward-thinking Becky and Charlie Cole at Broughgammon Farm in Co. Antrim for their delicious and healthy cabrito kid goat meat.

A special commendation honouring her contribution to the Irish farmhouse cheese industry was awarded to the late Veronica Steele of Milleens Cheese who died last year, accepted on her behalf by her son Quinlan Steele. A trail-blazer and the longest established producer of artisan cheese in the country, Veronica Steele almost single-handedly put Irish cheese on the international map. Generous with her time and expertise, Veronica made a significant contribution to the renaissance of farmhouse cheese-making in Ireland which greatly enhanced the country’s reputation as a food nation.

Presented at Hugo’s of Merrion Row by journalist and Chairperson of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild, Aoife Carrigy, with Euro-Toques Commissioner General Graham Neville and other representatives of Euro-Toques, the Awards are sponsored by EirGrid, operator of the national electricity transmission system