PORT Macquarie produce has featured prominently at the Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards.
Tomato soup from Ricardoes Tomatoes and Strawberries won gold in the heat and eat category – a division for wholesome foods that can be easily prepared.
The soup was made from “top of the crop” tomatoes grown at Ricardoes’ Port Macquarie farm.
The Royal Hobart Fine Food Awards, given by the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania, are considered among Australia’s three premier fine food awards, alongside Sydney Royal and Royal Melbourne.
Ricardoes’ tomato soup is made according to the farm’s own recipe, by Port Macquarie commercial fine food processors The Other Chef.
Ricardoes is the processor’s biggest client and commissions about 30 products made from the farm’s own tomato and strawberry produce.
Ricardoes’ score of 99 for its tomato soup was a remarkably high result, among only five trophy winners of many hundreds of exhibitors awarded either 99 or 100 per cent.
A Tasmanian ham won the “best exhibit in show” for its perfect score.
A Tasmanian biscuit was the only other qualifying entry to achieve 100 per cent.
On top of the champion trophy, five Ricardoes products entered in the show took out awards.
