2014 Yankee Magazine’s Editors’ Choice Food Awards

Our guide to the best artisanal cheeses, chocolates, jams, cookies, bacon, and other worthy edibles in New England. This year marks our second annual food awards, which means that once again, we’ve been scouring New England’s groceries and markets to find the best locally made cheeses, jams, chocolates, sauces–and even salt!–for you to try. From tender smoked bluefish made by John and Hali LaFountain of Fox Seafood in Narragansett, Rhode Island, to earthy aged goat cheese from Twig Farm in West Cornwall, Vermont, this year’s list covers all six states and eight categories. We noticed a few trends this year: caramels, marshmallows, bacon, macarons, and fruit vinegars are big (some are represented here). There’s also a renewed appreciation for classic New England fare, like the exceptional marmalades made by Blake Hill Preserves and fruitcakes by Bien Fait Specialty Cakes, both in Vermont. How do we pick them? We taste, we compare, and when a product makes our eyes light up, we put it on the short list. Early on, we decided not to organize the awards around a single best-in-category winner. Choosing one best Cheddar or bacon would mean missing out on another equally worthy product the next year. Frankly, there’s too much good food out there to paint ourselves into that corner. Think of these as “awards of excellence,” rather than an either/or competition. In that spirit, we hope you’ll enjoy these treats yourself, or give them as gifts to others. Happy Holidays!

2014 Editors’ Choice Food Award Categories

Baked Goods BeveragesCheeseConfectionsCured Meat & FishJams & PreservesSaucesSeasonings2013 Food Award Winners