Having judged in September, I had the pleasure of attending the FreeFrom Food Awards on Friday night. The event, held (on the rainiest night of the year!) at The Grand Hotel in Malahide, brought together producers, chefs, and food lovers, all committed to making delicious, inclusive food accessible to everyone.
For me and, I am sure, most coeliacs, eating out is a rare treat. Strict gluten avoidance, the risk of cross-contamination, and limited options often make dining at restaurants or events stressful or impossible. That’s why experiences like attending and judging (and tasting 23 artisanal cakes) at the FreeFrom Food Awards (FFFA) were so special: I could enjoy food safely and feel truly part of food culture.
Founded by coeliac entrepreneur John Burke, the FFFA – now in its tenth year – is the only awards in Ireland dedicated to recognising excellence in FreeFrom foods, including gluten-free, dairy-free, and products free from any of the 14 major allergens.
What is Coeliac Disease?
In a nutshell, coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition where the body reacts badly to gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley and rye). Some coeliacs have other intolerances such as oats (most can have gluten-free oats but some have difficulty with any oats), lactose, or other proteins. When a coeliac eats gluten, the small intestine becomes damaged.
Symptoms include digestive issues, bloating, fatigue, anaemia, skin rashes, confusion. The only effective treatment is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. Gluten-containing ingredients and cross contamination must be avoided. I myself am extremely sensitive – even a crumb will set me off – and within the space of 20 minutes I am away to the land of nod for 3 hours.
If you do not have coeliac disease but choose to avoid or reduce gluten, make sure you still include enough fibre in your diet. Many gluten-containing foods – such as wholemeal bread, wholegrains, and cereals – are major sources of dietary fibre. If you remove or reduce them without suitable replacements, your fibre intake can drop, which can lead to constipation, and poorer gut health.
If you are undiagnosed and suffer from any of the above listed symptoms, your GP can arrange a quick blood test +/or scope test to see whether you have it or not. For further information, refer to the Coeliac Society of Ireland or the government webpage.
My Favourites at Judging
Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards were presented, along with Merit badges, across more than 40 categories for products that impressed the judges. Winners can display these badges on their packaging, helping consumers identify the best FreeFrom products. You can find all the winners on the FFFA website, but here were my faves from the two days I judged:
- Gold: Wellness Bakery’s Raspberry and Pistachio Layer Cake (Artisan Cakes category- FFFA awarded joint gold) – a cake you could marry! It was a beautifully light and fluffy chocolate sponge with creamy pistachio and raspberry layers, absolutely to die for. The best cake I have ever tasted in my life. Their bakery is in Listowel, Co. Kerry, and I would drive down just for this cake. It doesn’t seem to be on their website yet so maybe it’s only locally available.
- Silver: Aldi’s The Deli Sweet Potato Pakora (On the Go category – FFFA awarded Silver) – I loved these. As a coeliac, it is so difficult to get convenience food that is not laden with sugar when I am on the road travelling. This is a god-send. Perfect level of spice to sweet potato and they are amazing both cold and heated.
- Bronze: Jo’s Absolute Nutrition’s Caffé Mocha Energy Balls (Raw and Superfoods category – FFFA awarded Silver) – the coffee flavour in these chocolate delights is very real, very deep, and very delicious. My mouth is watering thinking about them!
- Merit: Lemon Cheesecake [producer tbc]
- Merit:Mushrooms & Love‘s Crunchy Mushroom Crisps Shroom (FFFA awarded Judge’s Choice Silver, and also awarded for Innovation) – these were so unusual and tasted great. Think of the texture of lentil crisps with the yummy umami flavour of mushrooms. This may not convince you but trust me, they are lovely. The team were up bright and breezy the next morning trading for the day at the Centre for Food Culture’s Samhain Festival in Meath. I saw them on their market stall and just had to congratulate them, they were delighted with the reception at the awards. I discovered that they also sell mushroom coffee! Now, that is something I need to try!
Attending the awards was a wonderful reminder of why I started the Oak & Oolite blog: to help create an inclusive food culture and to strengthen community. The night was a blast, full of inspiration, and lots of laughter! And a huge thank you to Emma, John, Ashley and family! Here’s to many more years of the FFFA!
*Cover image courtesy of the FFFA team, used with permission
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