Prince Edward County’s 9th annual edition of TASTE! a celebration of regional cuisine presented by the Wine Country Ontario, is proud to announce the winners of the People’s Choice Awards.

A sold out event of 2000 people sampled and sipped their way around the grounds of the historic Crystal Palace in Picton on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at what is being hailed as the best TASTE! event thus far. Favourites were chosen in a variety of categories by TASTE! attendees.

Favourite Savoury Dish
First Place- Jamie Kennedy Kitchens – Braised Oxtail Poutine with 5 year old Black River Cheddar
Second Place- Tied
-Amelia’s at The Waring House Restaurant – Vader’s Mini Lamb Burger, wrapped in double-smoked bacon, with Fifth Town’s Bonnie & Floyd sheep cheese and Pat York’s red pepper jelly.
-Le Chien Noir – Pan seared Bay of Quinte perch filets, potato gaufrettes, pickled fennel salad and tarragon vinaigrette.

Favourite Sweet Dish
First Place – Dinkel’s Restaurant/Paulo’s Italian Trattoria – Apple Fritters with crème anglais using Campbells Orchards Apples and County Cider company cider
Second Place- Copper Kettle Chocolate Co. – Chocolate Shots

Favourite White Wine
First Place- Closson Chase Vineyards – 2008 South Clos Chardonnay VQA PEc
Second Place- Casa-Dea Estate Winery – 2009 Pinot Gris VQA

Favourite Red Wine
First Place- Sandbanks Estate Winery – 2008 Baco Noir VQA
Second Place -Waupoos Estates Winery – 2009 Baco Noir VQA

Favourite Beer/Cider
First Place – County Cider Company and Estate Winery – Waupoos Premium Cider
Second Place – Barley Days Brewery – County India Pale Ale

Best Dressed Booth
First Place – Angelines Restaurant and Inn
Second Place – Casa-Dea Estate Winery

People’s Choice Overall Favourite
First Place- Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co – Variety of award-winning artisanal goat and sheep milk cheeses.
Second Place – Tied
- Le Chien Noir Bistro – Pan-seared Bay of Quinte perch flets, potatoe gaufrettes, pickled fennel salad and tarragon vinaigrette.
- Jamie Kennedy Kitchens – Braised Oxtail Poutine with 5 year old Black River Cheddar.

The Picton United Church County Food Bank received a cheque of $1133.95 in sales generated from the Taste! farmers’ market and booth sales from From the Farm Cooking School. All produce sold was generously donated by local farms: A & M Berwick Apiaries, The Accidental Farmer, Blake & Sandy Vader, Cherryvale Organic Farm, Cromato’s Greenhouses, Creasy’s Apple Dabble Farm, Everdean Farms & Greenhouses, Fosterholm Farms, Hagerman Farms, Laundry Farms, Ostrander Apple Farm, Royal Garlic, Stonehouse Farm, Thyme Again Gardens & Vicki’s Veggies. All left-over produce was donated to the Food Bank for local distribution. Sincere thanks to Farm Credit Canada for sponsorship of the booth and donation of reusable grocery bags and to Slow Food Prince Edward County for the coordination and management of the farm stand.

Congratulations also goes out to Rhea Reed of Oshawa, Ontario who won a round-trip ticket for two to anywhere within the Windsor/Quebec Corridor sponsored by VIA Rail Canada.