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FOOD
Great taste paste!
Irini's Spice Paste wins coveted Great Taste
Award Star.
Irini's Spice Paste, a creation born
from a collaboration between
chef Irini Tzortzoglou and Alice
Murray from Northumbrian
Pantry, has been awarded a
prestigious Great Taste Award Star
2024. The recognition reflects the
exceptional quality and unique
flavour profile of the spice paste.
The two met three years ago at the
Harrogate Fine Food Show, which
lead up to the launch of this product.
MasterChef 2019 winner
Tzortzoglou says of the award,
"I sincerely hope that foodies up
and down the country can enjoy
exploring the myriad of possibilities
this paste offers. Northumbrian
Pantry have published a number
of recipes using the paste on their
website and I would love to see other
peoples' own unique interpretation,
should they care to post and tag us
on social media.
Alice Murray, co-founder of
Northumbrian Pantry, adds "We
are overjoyed and deeply honoured
to receive the Great Taste Award
Star for Irini's Spice Paste. This
recognition is a testament to the
passion and dedication that went
into creating this exceptional recipe
by Irini. We are incredibly grateful
for her unwavering support and
guidance throughout this journey.
Her expertise and vision have been
invaluable, and we look forward
to continuing this wonderful
partnership, bringing exceptional
flavours to the cooking community."
A judge of the award commented,
"This is a rich dark paste that could
have a variety of uses in the kitchen.
The flavour is fruity, followed by a
warm and spicy finish. The level of
heat was about right and was wellbalanced.
The texture was good - not
too smooth - and was enjoyed."
Another said, "This is a very
intriguing spice paste with sharpness
and spice notes that are wellbalanced.
There is a moreish quality
to this paste which we enjoyed - we
can see it working in many different
applications".
Tradition & quality
Northumbrian Pantry is dedicated
to crafting high-quality, small-batch
artisanal products that celebrate
local flavours and traditional
methods. They take pride in
supporting their community and
deliver exceptional taste experiences
to their customers.
Since winning MasterChef,
Tzortzoglou went on to publish her
book Under The Olive Tree (recipes
from my Greek Kitchen), and is both
an olive oil and a honey sommelier.