Last month hundreds of small food producers from across the United States shipped their preserves, pickles, coffees, chocolates, cheeses and beers to San Francisco. Unlike a reality show, it was anonymous, unlabeled products that would compete in a marathon day of tasting by expert judges.
Today the Good Food Awards team revealed the finalists – a particular thrill for anyone who enjoys discovering new producers. A few caught my eye, spurring my own random Good Fun Awards:
- Smile-worthy coffee roaster name: Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters (DC)
- Most likely to get you dancing: Vice Chocolates (a one woman show who moonlights as a musician) (CA)
- Most likely to sell me their tshirt: Smuttynose Brewing Company (NH)
- Most likely to inspire me to explore the Oregon Coast: Rivers Edge Chevre (OR)
Know any of these folks? Many are new to me.
I put this “joke” list together to show how the Good Food Awards will reveal many tiny artisan food makers from all over the map on the map. The winners will not win based on packaging or brand power but on taste. Winning will bring not only visibility but recognition for the region – a good thing for tourism. Hurrah!
This year the awards started small. If you missed the chance to enter or a product category that should be represented wasn’t, know that this was Year One.
