Derby-based The Quirky Cook’s punchy and pioneering Honeyed Fig Relish with Black Garlic won the Great Taste Award’s ‘Golden Fork’ for Ambient Product of the Year (ambient meaning on the shelf, not in the fridge or freezer) 2018. Impressing the judging panel with its “bright explosive flavour” and “wonderful complexity”, this new product came out on top to claim one of Great Taste’s most fiercely competed honours. Balancing the delicate sweetness of honey and figs with the earthy, savoury notes of black garlic, the Honeyed Fig Relish had the Great Taste panel dreaming of smearing it on toast, crackers, cheese and gammon, with one judge saying it “would be perfect used with roasted root vegetables in the middle of winter.” Packed with fig seeds “which pop in your mouth”, adding “a crispy texture that you wouldn’t normally get with a chutney”, this innovative handmade product stood out from the crowd at the world’s most coveted food awards. Developed by founder, Kay Hawkins, the recipes are all handmade from scratch and cooked using the traditional open pan method, creating innovative new flavour combinations as well as breathing new life into old favourites.