Celebrity chefs Kirsten Tibballs and Mark Olive joined Bargara Berries owner Deb Meiers for a tasty challenge – selecting the winners of the Taste Bundaberg Festival’s Jam and Chutney Competition.
Introduced into the Taste Bundaberg festivities last year, the 2023 Jam and Chutney competition is another feature of the popular annual event which highlights and celebrates the abundance and quality of Bundaberg Region produce.
The competition saw 19 jams and 17 chutneys presented to the judges.
Judges scored each entry in four sections including appearance and colour, innovation and ingredients, consistency, texture and quality and flavour and aroma.
Each judge calculated their points out of a possible score of 20, with the combined judges totalling 60.
First, second and third place getters won $250, $175 and $100 respectively for their tasty creations.
Chutney tasting
Starting with savoury the chutney creations were first to be judged.
Ingredients ranged from pineapple, sweet potato and beetroot to caramelised onion and chilli.
The creations certainly impressed with two of the chutney entries receiving full marks of 20 from the individual judge’s scorecard.
In the end it was a close competition with a mere five points between third and first place.
First place was awarded to Julie Nichols with an overall score of 48 out of 60 for her beetroot chutney.
Judges enjoyed the colour, consistency, and texture of Julie’s chutney, commenting that the flavour was well balanced.
Taste creations: Chutney Winners
First place with a score of 48/60 – Julie Nichols
Second place with a score of 46/60 – Carmen McEneany
Third place with a score of 43/60 – Tamika Turner
Taste creations: Jam tasting
After refreshing their palates, judges tasted the jam entries.
Strawberry was the dominant ingredient with raspberry, mango, dragon fruit, pineapple and ginger also featured among the homemade creations.
The winning entry was awarded to Lynda Cremer for her strawberry jam.
Each judge was impressed giving three individual scores of 18 to total 54, the highest score of the competition.
Judges commented Lynda’s jam had great flavour and texture without being overly sweet.
Jam Winners
First place with a score of 54/60 – Lynda Cremer
Second place with a score of 48/60 – Courtney Nichols
Third place with a score of 47/60 – Tamika Turner
