New Belgian packagings for the three Maaslander awarded cheeses from the Westland Kaasspecialiteiten BV Company of The Netherlands .  Good show !

Old Amsterdam cheese, produced by Westland Kaasspecialiteiten BV (The Netherlands), won for the third year in a row the Superior Taste Award.   This means the quality of this cheese is of  constant outstanding  level despite the tasting of different palates each year.   This means also they they deserved a Crystal Award, which crowns only products having received 3 Golden Stars (the highest score) during 3 consecutive years.

Just before Christmas, most of the Belgian newspapers announced chaos and problems to come because of a general strike.  But if you look well at the right of the front pages, you could see a very good suggestion to forget your worries and to see the good side of life, with a Tongerlo Prior. It gives you an even better feeling when you know that it won 3 golden Stars Superior Taste Awards in 2010 and 2011.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and in Belgium it is called beer!

Highest distinction received with the Crystal Award 2011

It’s sensational! The Crystal Award is being given to those who have received the Superior Taste Award three times in consecutive years. The Zoller-Hof team under the leadership of brewer Peter Hamberger achieved three years in a row the highest distinction with the Zoller-Hof Hefe-Weizen (Wheat beer) and hence received this outstanding and coveted award. Worldwide the Crystal Award was only given to three breweries so far and Zoller-Hof is the only brewery who received this award for their Hefe Weizen.

The leadership team is very proud of this achievement and will continue to produce with 100% regionally sourced raw materials, gentle brewing methods, high quality standards and ecologically energy.

The Crystal Award is being given by the Brussels based International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) and the jury consists of independent European chefs and sommeliers who test and honor the tastiest food and drinks articles submitted by manufacturers.

A very representative product of Matsuzawa Group, “Ringo Otome”, has been awarded with a three stars Superior Taste Award for the third time in three years. Which means, Crystal Taste Award ! See below their proud promotional.

マツザワグループ代表商品である 『りんご乙女』 が、
2011年度iTQi国際優秀味覚コンテストで最高位の 「三ツ星」 を受賞いたしました。

2009/2010年度の最高位 「三ツ星」 受賞に引き続き、
３年連続での 「三ツ星」 受賞となり
３年連続三ツ星受賞製品のみに与えられる『クリスタル味覚賞』を
受賞することとなりました。

See how Brand Bierbrouwerij B.V. (Heineken Group) has announced their award to their personnel on intranet.

Good information of sales people results in good sales.

The 2 golden stars award of the Cal Saboi extra Virgin olive oil is present on their website.

They will be present  at the 11th Spain gourmet fair in Tokyo, on 17th & 18th October.

The 2 Golden stars Superior Taste Award of Cal Saboi olive oil (Spain) was confirmed by olive oil world’s specialists of SIAL Canada and won the OLIVE D’OR 2011

VAMIX is  a subsidiary of Belgian’s VANDEMOORTELE FOOD SERVICE.  This  department  commercializes  deepfrozen bakery products as well as edible oils & fats, mayonnaises and sauces for commercial outlets (horeca) and collectivity caterers.

This year, in 2011, they  harvested 5 Superior Taste Awards .

After the 4 awards received in 2010 and the 3 ones of 2009, this constellation of stars shows the  constant level of the quality of almost the totality of their range of products.

As many other food producers they show it on their website, they communicate it to their customers and they talk about it, which has proven successful in terms of gaining new customers and market shares.

Mary O’Callaghan, President of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers is one of our  “first-hour” jury members.   She has been member of iTQi’s Superior Taste Award jury since the beginning and makes sure to have no other obligations during the three days in May where the drink tests take place.

These obligations include sometimes   very important functions, like State banquets where she is in the company of Heads of State as depicted on the website of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers.

However, at the International Taste & Quality Institute, she joins fellow colleagues from 13 European  countries for a serious work of tasting drinks and beverages coming from all over the world:   some very well known like waters or teas, some unusual ones like soft drinks based on milk or unknown drinks coming from far away countries and which need a specific preparation.

Good show Mary, and thank you for your professionalism during our tasting sessions.