Cape Town and the Western Cape once again showed their strength in dominating the Eat Out DStv Food Network Produce Awards 2013, at a function held at the Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill last night, winning seven of the sixteen awards.  KwaZulu-Natal came a close second, with four awards.

The judges of the Eat Out Produce Awards were 2012 Eat Out Top Chef Margot Janse of The Tasting Room, Chef Jackie Cameron of Hartford House, Anna Trapido, MasterChef SA judge and Chef Pete Goffe-Wood, and Eat Out editor Abigail Donnelly, evaluating products which were nominated by the public.  ‘These small poducers are all doing their bit by bringing the very best quality produce to our shopping baskets and tables’, the Awards booklet shared.  The Awards celebrate outstanding food producers, and great home-grown tastes and flavours, Eat Out’s Content Director Anelde Greeff said, and reflects producers, chefs, home cooks, bloggers and food lovers sharing and eating together

The 2013 award winning Eat Out DStv Food Network producers are the following:

Best new product
Cure Deli’s Bacon Jam was developed by Cure Deli owner Martin Raubenheimer, who calls himself a garagiste, using Canadian maple bacon for the jam. Usually seen at the Hope Street Market on Saturday mornings.  Ethically-sourced free-range pork is used, flavoured with coffee, apple cider vinegar, onion, and garlic. The sweet product is like a ‘sweet, smoky pâté’. 

Best small producer: grocery/condiments
Karma Home Products
Top products: range of innovative marmalades, made in Kestell in the Free State by Vera Ann Sluis-Cremer from her own pomegranates and quinces, buying in cherries and apricots. No additives or preservatives.

Best small producer: dairy (cheese)
Pépé Charlot Cheese Maker
Top products: The crotin, heart-shaped Pépé and Buche Affinée cheeses, unpasteurised semi-soft matured goats’ cheeses made in Johannesburg.

Best small producer: dairy (other)
Gourmet Greek
Top products: traditional strained double thick Greek yoghurt, made in KwaZulu-Natal, and working on finding stockists in the Cape.

Best small producer: paddock (fresh)
Greenfields
Top products: organic, free-range rib-eye on the bone, from farm based in KwaZulu-Natal, which has raised beef since 1893.  No stimulants, hormones or antibiotics are used in the meat production.

Best small producer: paddock (cured)
Neil Jewell & Co.
Top products: Hand-crafted charcuterie: saucisson sec, squashed salami, cardamom salami and Walter ham, made at Môreson wine farm in Franschhoek.

Best small producer: earth
Magic Herbs
Top products: range of organic vegetables, fruit and herbs, supplying top Cape restaurants (Steve Botha, the Magic Man) from Porterville.

Best bakery
The Bread Gypsy
Top products: white sourdough, epibaguette, rye sourdough and ciabatta, based in Pretoria.

Best organic or free-range producer
Farmer Angus Pasture Reared Food
Top products: pasture-reared beef, mince and eggs on Spier wine estate by Angus McIntosh, supplying Top restaurants in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek.

South African food heritage award
Enaleni Farm
Top product: Zebra beans, from KwaZulu-Natal.

Outstanding markets
South: Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill, established in 2006.

East: The Food Market

North: Pretoria Boeremark

Outstanding Outlets
South: Wild Peacock Food Emporium, supplying the Cape’s top restaurants from Stellenbosch.

East: Spice Emporium

North: Braeside Butchery is owned by Caroline McCann, selling only free-range grass-fed meat.

Central: Polkadeli’cious Deli

Best local food blog
Life is a Zoo Biscuit by Anél Potgieter

The fact that no confectionery producer was recognised with an Award was queried on Facebook last night, and no explanation was provided at the event.  The booklet only recognises the small number of winners, and does not share who the other finalists were per category.  Previously called Eat In, the publication was a sister publication to Eat Out, but the former has been amalgamated into the latter. The award-winning food producers, as well as other top nominees in the various food categories, will be at the Neighbourgoods Market today to offer their produce to taste and sell.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www;whalecottage.com Twitter: WhaleCottage