THE Hereford Times has launched The Food and Drink Awards to celebrate all the amazing produce the county has to offer.

Within our wonderfully rural county there is an abundant supply of quality produce and many pubs, restaurants and cafes take pride in using what is on their doorstep.

We want to celebrate everything that the county has to offer for food and drink and we are looking for your nominations.

The award categories are as follows:

  • Best Cider Producer sponsored by Royal Three Counties Show
  • Best Restaurant or Dining Pub
  • Best Brewer
  • Best Dairy Producer
  • Best Cafe or Tearoom
  • Best Food Producer
  • Best Butchers
  • Community Pub of the Year as sponsored by the Wobbly Brewing Company
  • Best Independent Food and Drink Retailer
  • Best Drinks Producer (not cider/beer/ale)
  • Best Farm Shop, as sponsored by The Duchy of Cornwall.

There is also an overall award for Food and Drink Business of the Year.

Herefordshire and cider go hand-in-hand: cider puts the county on the map. Entries for Best Cider Producer can be any of the following, entered individually: clear, cloudy, sparkling, still, dry, semi-sweet. Entries must be made from apples grown in Herefordshire orchards. All entries must be bottled in Herefordshire or neighbouring counties.

And with so much amazing Herefordshire produce available it makes sense for restaurants and pubs to use it. This category recognises the best restaurant or dining pub that draws customers because of the excellence of its food, with particular emphasis on locally-sourced seasonal ingredients.

And cider isn’t the only beverage the county does very well. Entries for Best Brewer can include any of the following, entered individually: ale, lager, stout. All entries must be brewed in Herefordshire.

Entries for Best Dairy Producer can be a cheese, milk, yoghurt or cream. All entries must be made using Herefordshire produce and with milk sourced from animals that have been reared in Herefordshire by means of good animal husbandry, free from the use of sub therapeutic antibiotics or hormones, with plenty of access to outdoor space on pasture that has not been treated with artificial herbicides, fungicides, pesticides or fertilisers and nourished with feed not containing animal by-products.

The Best Café or Tearoom will go to the best independent café or tea room that stands apart from others with particular emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients.

The judges want to find the best butchers in the county with local produce being sold in well displayed shops. The shops must have high standards in hygiene and must have a commitment to training and development. Meat should be sourced from animals that have been reared in Herefordshire by means of good animal husbandry.

Community Pub of the Year recognises the best pub that draws customers because of its excellent drink and atmosphere, with particular emphasis on locally-sourced beverages.

Entries for the Best Independent Food and Drink Retailer need to be an imaginative initiative that’s changing the way good quality food and drink is being sourced and sold. It could be a wholesaler, website, farm shop or independent retailer.

The Best Drinks Product entries can be drink products produced locally aside from cider/beers/ales and lager. Entries must be made by produce grown in county.

Judges are interested in the diversification of farming which results in a farm shop selling locally produced food direct to the consumer for the Best Farm Shop category.

For the Best Food Producer entries can be food products produced locally aside from dairy products. Entries must be made, produced and grown in Herefordshire.

The winner of the Food and Drink Business of the Year is selected by the judges from the winners of the other awards.

How to enter

WITH these awards we are asking each producer/business to nominate themselves.

Don’t be shy - we want to celebrate everything the county has to offer.

To nominate yourself you need to go to the dedicated section of our website: herefordtimes.com/awards/foodanddrink.

There you will find a form for each category.

You need to answer all of the questions with as much detail as you can and please remember to include your contact details.

We will be focusing on different entries over the next few weeks.

You need to be quick with these awards. The deadline for entries is September 26.

An awards ceremony will take place in November.

There is still time to become a sponsor for the awards.

For more information get in touch with Sue Griffiths on 01905 742373, 07825 845401 or email sue.griffiths@newsquest.co.uk.