Sydney Royal Competitions will soon click over 200 years, but this time-honoured organisation can never be accused of not keeping up with trends, particularly in food.
Take for example Jerky, a standalone class at the just completed Sydney Royal Spring Fine Food Show at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park.
Jerky is lean meat which has been trimmed of fat, cut into strips and dried with the addition of salt and spices.
Entries have increased in number since 2016, proof of this meat class’ growing popularity in Australia.
Jerky attracted one gold medal and five silvers in the 2018 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show which culminated tonight in the unveiling of Championship winners across all categories at the Sydney Royal Taste of Excellence Awards held at The Stables, Sydney Showground.
1168 entries were catalogued for judging across 126 classes in categories ranging from Pasta, Olive Oil, Regional Food and Branded Meat to Smallgoods and Charcuterie.
In the Regional Food competition, three of the four Champions in 2018 were first time entrants in Sydney Royal, while Sydney took the crown as top region by claiming the most medals overall.
Fine Food Committee Chair Lachlan Bowtell reflected on this year’s Show:
“Despite adversity, notably the punishing drought, this year’s entrants demonstrated an increase in quality almost across the board,” Lachlan said,
“The exhibitors are making it tougher each and every year on our judges and that is a good thing.
“Seeing producers from our 2017 Sydney Royal competitions take on board our Judges’ feedback and return with a better product is what it is all about,” Lachlan Bowtell said.
Champions at a glance:
Pasta
Bianco Group was declared Champion in the Durum Wheat Specialty Pasta class for its Gnocchoni filled with Goats cheese and chives.
Regional Food
Regional Foods demonstrated a changing of the guard this year with three out of our four Champions being first time entrants. Sydney was the most successful region with the highest number of Medals, while Champion Sweet Preserve went to Bunny Chow Downfor its Rosella Apple Chilli Jam and Jam & Jelly by Jewel’s Beetroot Jelly took out Champion Savoury Preserve. MCFarm Pty Ltd T/A Hazelbrae Hazelnuts (Tasmania) claimed the Champion Regional Food Specialty Product for its Hazelbrae Hazelnuts Oiland Hum Honey for its Cold Fusion Organic Lemon Myrtle, being awarded the Champion Regional Food Other Product.
Olive Oil
Alto Olives received its first championship since 2014 in the Champion Olives category. While former Sydney Royal President’s Medal winner Cobram Estate also takes home two championships for Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Champion Flavoured Olive Oil has gone to Bylands Estate T/A Kyneton Olive Oil for its Basil Infused Oil and Gooramadda Olives has been named Champion Boutique Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Branded Meats
Despite the tough drought conditions currently facing the meat industry, Judges referred to a high quality of produce entered this year, particularly within the Lamb classes. TheChampion Pork title has gone to Diamond Springs Pastoral and Champion Beef to Manning Valley Naturally. This year’s Champion Lamb and The Dick Stone Perpetual Branded Meat Champion Trophy winner is Victoria’s Woodward Foods Australia for its Woodward Foods Export Lamb (USA).
Smallgoods & Charcuterie
The Smallgoods & Charcuterie competition saw an increase in quality this year and as a result, Gold medals, with all Champions being returning exhibitors. Interesting new sausage flavours impressed our judges, however a classic still remains, with Andrews MeatsIndustries claiming Champion Traditional Sausage. Champion Bacon has been taken out by Bertocchi for its Smoked Wide Middle Bacon and Sunshine Meats Double Smoked Boneless Ham has claimed Champion Ham.
Zammit Ham & Bacon Curers Pty Ltd is the Champion Smallgoods & Charcuterie Speciality Product for 2018 while Sunshine Meats has taken out Champion Poultry Product for its Nitrite Free Butterfly Duck. Barossa Fine Foods has had a massive 2018 competition, claiming three championships – Champion Cooked Smallgoods Product, Champion Smallgoods Product, and Champion Smallgoods & Charcuterie Gourmet Product.
All Champions are announced in the attachment above (detailing winners’ locations) and all Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal winners can be found on the on the RAS website.
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