The awards announced by the Irish Food Writers' Guild in Dublin yesterday were:
Supreme Award: Carrigmore Meats, owned by the Barry brothers, of Conna, Fermoy, Co Cork, producers of "beef of superlative quality, taste and texture".
Award for Excellence: Cratloe Hills Mature Sheep's Cheese, produced by Sean and Deirdre Fitzgerald, of Brickhill, Co Clare, "pioneers of sheep-dairying", now producing six tonnes of cheese a year.
Highly Commended: King Sitric Fresh Seafood with Sauces from the King Sitric seafood restaurant in Howth, Co Dublin; "a generous portion of fresh fish vacuum-packed with King Sitric sauce", available in Superquinn super markets.
Certificates of Nomination: Odlums Quick Bread Mixes for "painlessly introducing a new generation to the joys of home baking"; Offbeat Bottling Company, Bangor, Co Down, producers of gourmet jams, and Connacht Gold Low-fat Butter - "unique . .. with no vegetable oils, no imported contents and it tastes good" - made by North Connacht Farmers' Co-Op.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Master butcher Peter Corrigan, of Dublin, longtime advocate of quality meat and voice of the Irish Master Butchers' Federation. He is joint secretary of the new Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland.