A DELICIOUS truffle made by a Pembrokeshire chocolaterie has been named the best Welsh speciality product in this year’s Great Taste awards –the Oscars of the food world.
Fredericks Chocolaterie, which is run by Emily Wright, 26, from a shop in Narberth, collected the coveted award for its ginger and fennel truffle, which also won the highest Great Taste status – a three star gold – and is named in the Top 50 foods.
The best Welsh speciality product award, sponsored by the Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales, was selected from the four Great Taste three star gold winning products from Wales.
The truffle was up against lemon curd from Welsh Lady Preserves of Y Ffor, near Pwllheli, grass fed organic Aberdeen Angus rump roasting joint from Rhug Estate, Corwen and Halen Môn Umami Sea Salt, a collaboration between the multi-award winning Anglesey Sea Salt Company at Brynsiencyn, Anglesey and The Mushroom Garden Snowdonia, Beddgelert.
The chocolates have a Grenadian truffle filling infused with Chinese stem ginger and organic fennel seeds and a Javan shell. The Great Taste judges commented about the well-balanced flavours and striking appearance of the chocolates.
“A fine product in a very crowded market,” they said. “The beauty of these chocolates makes them stand out above many others.”
In review of the chocolates, Welsh TV chef Dudley Newbury says: “There is an amazing glazed finish to them and they are shouting out ‘eat me, eat me’. They smell like chocolates used to smell and the taste is something else.”
The Great Taste judges also awarded Fredericks Chocolaterie a one star gold for its chilli, orange and cinnamon ganache chocolates.
“I’m still pinching myself to be honest,” was Emily’s reaction to winning the award. “It was a very pleasant shock and to now have the likes of Harrods calling me up is a bit surreal.”
She revealed that the ginger and fennel truffle was entered for the Great Taste awards at the last minute and was a personal favourite.
Having run the business alone for four years, she is now faced with important decisions about future expansion and is determined to stay loyal to her core beliefs of hand-making her products with the best ingredients and not compromising on quality.
“If you have great ingredients, you generally end up with a great tasting product,” she said. “I would love to grow the business to have a couple more shops and to be able to travel and source the cacao beans myself to make my own chocolate. That way I could control every aspect of the product and it would become more of a brand.”
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