Cumbrian food and drink producers among best in Britain

Shed One Distillery’s Any and Zoe Arnold-Bennett

Cumbrian food and drink producers are celebrating after being named as finalists in a prestigious national competition.

Several firms have been shortlisted in the Great British Food Awards.

The annual awards celebrate the UK’s finest artisanal produce as well as the hard-working people behind the scenes.

Judges include many of the nation’s best loved chefs, cooks, and critics with names ranging from Raymond Blanc, Jack Stein, and Cumbria’s own Simon Rogan to William Sitwell and Olly Smith.

Ulverston’s Shed One Distillery has had three products shortlisted – Chilli Fest Gin, Marmalade Liqueur, and Lapsang Souchong Jelly Marmalade.

Its owners, Zoe and Andy Arnold-Bennett, are hoping for a repeat of last year’s success when its Yiayia Gin triumphed in the gin. An all-female led creation, was launched in partnership with Greek chef and 2019 MasterChef winner, Irini Tzortzoglou.

Shed One is the only distillery in the North West to be featured in the gin categories, and its marmalade joins fellow Cumbrian producer, Hawkshead Relish, as a finalist in the sweet preserves category.

Zoe said: “It was a fabulous surprise to have three of our much-loved products make it through to the finals to be judged by some highly respected industry stalwarts.

“We’re especially thrilled to have two brand new products – our Lapsang Souchong Jelly Marmalade and Marmalade Liqueur – reach the finals despite only being on the shelves since spring and summer respectively.

“We’re always looking for new and exciting ways to use and reuse our ingredients, so our jelly marmalades are created with surplus fruit leftover from using only fresh zest when making our spirits.

“With the more spirits we produce, the more fruit we’re left with, so we’ve expanded our range to include some new, limited edition, spirit liqueurs.

“We’ve grown our business on creating products that we personally like to drink, so we’re always delighted when others feel the same, and our first batch of Marmalade Liqueur sold out in just a few days. Hopefully the Great British Food Awards judges agree!”

Grasmere Distillery has been shortlisted in two categories. The first is Grasmere Distillery Sugar Beet Vodka, in the vodka category, and the second is Grasmere Golden Rum, in the rum category.

Grasmere Distillery co-founder and head distiller Paul Abbot said: ‘’Being shortlisted in two categories at the Great British Food Awards is fantastic news. We’re proud to be one of only a few grain-to-glass distilleries in the UK, crafting our spirits entirely from scratch. It’s incredibly rewarding to see that recognised.

“Grasmere Distillery Sugar Beet Vodka is an ultra-clean, intriguing spirit with a unique character. Smoother than a grain or potato vodka, with subtle orchard notes, think apple and pear with a hint of the sugar bowl, but not sweet. Delivering the perfect sipping vodka neat or served over ice.

“Our Golden Rum is based on our molasses wash and dunder pit, fermented slowly with house yeast, then distilled twice on copper pot stills and then aged in heavily charred Rioja casks. It has a classic Demerara sugar finish, with tropical fruits, toffee and sweet oak.’’

Lovingly Artisan, based near Kendal, features in two categories.

Its Northern Blisscuits have been shortlisted in the savoury biscuit category and its Ginger & Barley Biscuits are named in the sweet biscuit category.

Catherine Connor, co-owner of Lovingly Artisan Bakery, said: ‘’We’re thrilled to have not one, but two of our new products shortlisted in this year’s Great British Food Awards.

“These awards are not only a celebration of the finest food producers across the UK, but also a valuable opportunity for us to benchmark our craft, creativity, and innovation. Having our products tasted and judged by some of the country’s most respected chefs, food critics, and industry experts is both humbling and incredibly exciting. It’s a moment of pride for the whole team at Lovingly Artisan and a testament to the passion we pour into everything we bake.’’

Maria Whitehead MBE, co-founder of Hawkshead Relish, said: “We are thrilled to have four of our products shortlisted in the prestigious Great British Food Awards. It’s a real testament to the dedication, creativity and passion of our team. Being recognised on a national stage alongside some of Britain’s finest food producers is an honour we’re immensely proud of.”

This year’s winners will be revealed on Tuesday October 28 and will feature on the Great British Food Awards website and special edition magazine.

The awards have been running for over 10 years and highlight the very best Great Britain has to offer, giving producers a chance to stand out from the crowd.