What You Should Be Eating: NASFT 2008 sofi Awards for Outstanding Speciality Foods and Beverages

By: Tanya Taylor, PhD | Jul 30, 2008

The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) announced winners of the 36th annual sofi awards for outstanding products of 2008 at its 54th Summer Fancy Food Show. The sofi awards recognize excellence in specialty foods and beverages in 32 categories. This year's contest had a record 2,191 entries which was narrowed to 150 Silver Finalists by an independent panel of specialty food experts. Gold winners were selected by more than 400 retailers and foodservice buyers attending the Summer Fancy Food Show.

The winners are:

Product Category	Winner
Outstanding New Product	Transatlantic Foods, Aux Délices des Bois Black Truffle Butter
Outstanding Appetizer, Antipasto, Salsa or Dip	Robert Lambert, Dark Cherries Preserved in Merlot Syrup
Outstanding Baked Good or Baking Ingredient	Callie's Charleston Biscuits, Callie's Charleston Biscuits - Cheese
Outstanding Cheese or Dairy Product	Coach Farm, Triple Cream Goat Cheese
Outstanding Chocolate	Brandini Toffee, Brandini Toffee
Outstanding Cold Beverage	SAAF Ginger Beverage Company, Gingernize Ginger Lemonade Rush
Outstanding Condiment	Rolls Enterprises, Kerala Curry Tomato Chutney
Outstanding Confection	Bissinger's Handcrafted Chocolatier, Blueberry Acai Gummy Pandas
Outstanding Cookie	Minnie Beasley's, Almond Lace Gourmet Cookies
Outstanding Cooking Sauce or Flavor Enhancer	Delicae Gourmet: Strawberry Zinfandel Balsamic Glaze and Sukhi's Quick - N - Ezee Gourmet Indian Food, Tikka Masala Paste
Outstanding Cracker	Mary's Gone Crackers, Mary's Gone Crackers Original
Outstanding Dessert or Dessert Topping	Shootflying Hill Sauce Company, Salty Butterscotch Dessert Sauce
Outstanding Diet or Lifestyle Product	Organic Nectars, Raw Agave Gelato Pistachio
Outstanding Food Gift	The Seasoned Palate, dba tsp spices, tsp spices Sweet Basic
Outstanding Frozen Savory	Good Wives, division of Innovative Foods, Mushroom Profiteroles
Outstanding Hot Beverage	Sarabeth's Kitchen, Hot Chocolate Parisienne
Outstanding Innovation in Packaging Design or Function	Knipschildt Chocolatier, Petit Egg Sampler
Outstanding Jam, Preserve, Honey or Nut Butter	Barefoot Contessa, Lemon Curd
Outstanding Meat, Pate or Seafood	The CheeseWorks: Ortiz Conservas Boquerones Marinated White Anchovies
Outstanding Non-Food Specialty Item	Twist, Twist European Sponge Cloth #20
Outstanding Oil	Stella Cadente Olive Oil Company, Basil Oil
Outstanding Pasta Sauce	Nuovo Pasta Productions: Roasted Portabella and Truffle Gourmet Sauce
Outstanding Pasta, Rice or Grain	Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company: Port Clyde Lobster Mac & Cheese
Outstanding Perishable Foodservice Product	Good Wives, division of Innovative Foods: Beef Wellington
Outstanding Pet Product	Big Bark Bakery, Mega Bite Peanut Treat
Outstanding Product Line	Vermont Butter & Cheese Company: Vermont Butter & Cheese Company
Outstanding Salad Dressing	Stonewall Kitchen, Balsamic Fig Dressing
Outstanding Shelf-Stable Foodservice Product	Sweetfields: Wild Strawberry SweetCrystal PLUS Pansies
Outstanding Snack Food	Route 11 Potato Chips, Sweet Potato Chips
Outstanding Soup, Stew, Bean or Chili	Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company, Spruce Head Smoked Scallop Lobster Bisque
Outstanding USDA-Approved Organic Product	Blackwell's Organic Gelato, Raspberry Sorbetto
Outstanding Vinegar	Lettieri & Company, Giuseppe Riccardo Balsamic Vinegar

The NASFT is a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 to foster trade, commerce and interest in the specialty food industry. This list is a great starting point if you want to venture outside of what you typically eat. Personally, I've only had 2 items on the list and that's Blackwell's Organic Gelato, Raspberry Sorbetto and Organic Nectars Raw Agave Gelato Pistachio.

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