Portland's 2022 Good Food Awards Finalists

Portland area food artisans did well this year in the Good Food Awards, a project of the SF-based Good Food Foundation, with a strong showing in the West region (there are five regions total). According to the Foundation, “crafters from 42 states and D.C. rose to the top across 17 categories after a Blind Tasting of 1,966 products. They then passed a rigorous vetting to confirm meeting Good Food Awards sustainability standards.”

Here are the almost two dozen finalists from our area and some details about the products when available. Congratulations to all for this recognition!

Charcuterie

Olympia Provisions, Chorizo Andalucia—pork salami flavored with Pimentón de la Vera, fresh garlic, and clove (buy here)
Tails & Trotters, Applewood Smoked Rustic Bacon—hazelnut-finished whole pork belly dry-cured using kosher salt, and celery powder (sodium nitrite source) and smoked over applewood; and Culatta Pacifico Petite Boneless Prosciutto.

Chocolate

Creo Chocolate, Mocha Dark Milk Chocolate Bar—coffee infused 62% milk chocolate; and “Classic” Milk Chocolate 46%—an “adult” version of the classic milk chocolate bar with complex flavors.

Confections

Batch PDX, Black Sesame Toffee Brittle; Hazelnut Cookie Dough—dark chocolate covered creamy ganache with a layer of hazelnut praline; Pumpkin Pecan Pie. NB their retail partner is Creo Chocolate.
Honey Mama’s, Cherry Hazelnut Bar—Organic Bing cherries and toasted hazelnuts in rich cocoa with hand harvested Norwegian flake salt. Limited edition.
Wildwood Chocolate, Cardamom Honey Caramel—hand-made caramel covered in layers of 70% dark chocolate sprinkled with sea salt; Orange Confit & Cherry—sweet floral orange confit paired with tart dried cherries in 70% dark chocolate.

Drinks

Camellia Grove Kombucha, Black Tea Kombucha—Mellow, fragrant aroma with hints of malty and fruity notes.
Driftwest Water Kefir, Grapefruit Tangerine Water Kefir—grapefruit and tangerine accentuated with fresh lemon and lime in this fermented beverage.
Mathilde’s Kitchen, Hibiscus Flower and Passion Fruit Juice—these two ingredients mixed with sugar and Caribbean spices.
Momo Cocoa Co., CardaMomo Cocoa Mix—hot drinking cocoa spiced with cardamom.
Revolucion Coffee House, Cafe de Olla—bottled coffee spiced with cinnamon. (They were a vendor at the Rocky Butte Farmers Market this past summer.)
RAFT, Grapefruit Chile Smoked Salt Syrup—a syrup recommended for “south of the border” drinks, a balance of grapefruit, natural sweeteners, chili peppers and smoked sea salt; Orange Bitters—they use the peel of a whole orange per bottle; Pineapple Tamarind Syrup—sweet pineapple balanced with tart tamarind.
Rhizome, Honey Lime Tonic—a small batch brew of fresh, whole organic ginger, turmeric, honey and lime.
Sauvie Shrubs, Blueberry Ginger Shrub—a twice fermented shrub with the addition of a variety of Sauvie Island blueberries paired with fresh ginger.

Pantry

Hot Mama Salsa, Habanero Hot Sauce—sweet, fruity, and delicious, thanks to carrot and habanero.
Khalsa Salsa, Indian Fusion Classic Salsa—a mix of unique Indian spices and bold Mexican flavors.
La Porteña, Mom’s Green Chimichurri— a bright, herby anything sauce (the green comes from parsley).
Sibeiho, AF Chili Chunka Sambal—sharp and fruity with a touch of garlicky heat.

Pickles

Fermenter, North Coast Kraut—organic and local cabbage fermented with organic ginger, hemp seeds, and a variety of wildcrafted seaweeds harvested on the North Coast of California.
Oregon Brineworks, Spicy Dill Pickle—naturally fermented pickles flavored with black peppercorns, garlic cloves, and cayenne peppers; Spicy Kraut—a hot version of their classic kraut, spiced up with ginger, garlic, radish, and Korean peppers.

Snacks

Sibeiho, OMG! Sambal Kachang—roasted heat and a touch of nuttiness (no nuts involved).
The Cracker King, Rosemary & Sea Salt—gluten-free crackers flavored with rosemary and sea salt.

In January 2022 the winners will be announced at the live, in-person Good Food Awards Ceremony in San Francisco. And the Good Food Foundation will be holding one of their Mercantile events (it’s like a trade show) on Friday, April 29, 2022 in Portland. For now, you can shop for the product finalists online, all in one place, at the Good Food Awards Finals Pop Up Shop.