The winners of the Irish Food Writers Guild (IFWG) Awards 2017 have been announced this month.
Since 1993, the IFWG Food Awards have celebrated Ireland’s food producers and organisations. They recognise those great Irish producers and products that are integral to Ireland’s fine reputation in food and drink both at home and abroad.
Six IFWG award winners were announced together with the Guild’s first posthumous award which honoured a pioneer of the Irish craft beer revolution, the late Oliver Hughes.
The 2017 IFWG Food Award winners are The Friendly Farmer for his pasture-reared chickens, Ummera Irish Smokehouse for Ummera Smoked Silver Hill Duck Breast and Cuinneog for Irish Farmhouse Country Butter and Natural Buttermilk. Bertha’s Revenge Irish Milk Gin received this year’s Irish Drink Award and Mag Kirwan of Goatsbridge Trout Farm was presented with a Special Contribution to Irish Food Award.
The 2017 IFWG Environmental Award went to The Little Milk Company for its innovative approach to fostering sustainable family farms. The family of Oliver Hughes, the pioneering co-founder of The Porterhouse and Dingle Distillery, accepted his posthumous award.
Chairperson of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild (IFWG), Aoife Carrigy said, "This year’s award winners are representative of so much that is great about the food and drink industry in Ireland. Our winners have created sustainable family businesses, continued and built upon the work of their forefathers or collaborated with like-minded people to create products of an exceptional standard."
She added, "The common thread that binds the 2017 winners is their mutual respect for tradition, yet this group of dynamic people is also united by their forward-thinking approach. They have each been chosen because of the innovative approach they take to their craft as well as the distinguishing quality of their produce and their continued dedication to Irish food."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
