Imported from Spain and smoked in the US, Wagshal's Imports' Fermín Ibérico de Bellota Smoked Panceta has once again captured the Silver sofi™Award from the Specialty Food Association's 2014 sofi™ Awards contest. Wagshal's Imports first received the coveted sofi™ Gold Award for their smoked panceta in 2012. The winning panceta, which is noted for its luxurious distinct nutty, buttery flavor with the right amount of hickory, has gained a loyal following among celebrity chefs nationwide for its depth of flavor, versatility and health benefits. Winners for the 2014 sofi™ will be announced at the Summer Fancy Food Show in June.
"It's a huge honor to be considered part of the industry's best for the second time!" Says Aaron Fuchs of Wagshal's Imports while admitting, "The best part of my job is watching the expression on people's faces tasting the Fermín Ibérico de Bellota Smoked Panceta for their first time. Now that's very enjoyable!"
A sofi™ Award is considered the highest honor in the $88 billion specialty food industry. A national panel of specialty food professionals tasted and evaluated 2,025 specialty foods and beverages across 30 categories to come up with their list of 109 finalists. Judges included top buyers from Whole Foods, Fresh Direct and Mollie Stone's Market as well other respected retailers, a food historian and journalists from Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, Edible Manhattan and Cooking Stoned.
About Wagshal's Imports:
A division of Wagshals Family of Fine Foods, Wagshal's imports brings the award winning Fermin Ibérico de Bellota and Can Bech products from Spain to the US. Wagshal's is Washington's premiere butcher and specialty food market. Its delicatessen is a DC landmark since 1925. Through the years, Wagshal's has earned a reputation as being an industry leader synonymous with great food and service, an information source for local media, and a destination for local chefs, embassy chefs, and culinary icons. Visit Wagshal's Imports for more information.
About Fermin:
Fermin is a family-owned farm in La Alberca in Salamanca, Spain. Since 1956,when patriarch Fermín Martín founded the company, the Martín family has been raising and slaughtering pigs to produce the highest quality heritage jamón (hams), embutidos (sausages), and raw pork products that epitomize the best of Spanish artisanal cuisine. Today, Fermín, a leader in Ibérico husbandry and the first producer from Spain to receive USDA approval, has worked for decades with the same regional farms and still hand-cuts every item with old-world craftsmanship that takes years to acquire.
Source: Wagshal's Imports
