Glynn Christian’s pick of S&FFF 2014

Veteran food writer, Great Taste judge and deli expert GLYNN CHRISTIAN loves nothing more than searching the stands at Speciality & Fine Food Fair for what he calls the ‘Gosh Factor’. Here are the products that caught his eye and his palate at the 2014 show:

Assam oolong tea: once, semi-fermented oolongs were resolutely from Taiwan or south east China. Now, even Darjeeling makes oolong styles but this bold brew is totally unexpected.www.yunay.net

Austrian pumpkin seed oil: Amazing deep nutty flavour and rich, dark green mahogany look. Family produced by traditional methods. Recommended for revisiting if you tried it but had forgotten it.www.schalk-muehle.at

Bekaert’s apple butters: Apple butter (Sirop de Liege) is a Belgian heritage reduction of apple, pear and date juice. Biscuitbutter newly mixes it with crushed cinnamon-spice coffee biscuits (spekuloos). Totally addictive. www.biscuitbutter.com

Bergamot marmalade: From Reggio Calabria, a unique production area for the fragrant citrus that also scents true Earl Grey tea. They do a wild orange marmellata, too.www.comperior.it

Brisi honey: New combinations from remarkable Sardinian honey-maker Davide Brisi include asphodel with walnut and thistle with hazelnuts. Both bring edgy bitterness to new honey experiences.info@mielebrisi.it

Campino di Bufala: A buffalo-milk, pressed cacciotacheese with fragrant fennel seeds that’s also available with chillies or black peppercorns. Cheese counter originality from Lombardy.www.lacredenza.co.uk

Coconut Chilli: Four original ready-to-heat meals on a base of basmati rice, recreating traditions of the great Hill Stations of Southern India. Great ingredients and presentation. www.coconutchilli.com

Favarger chocolates: Heritage recipes from this 1826 Swiss company twisted to today’s palates, all with raw cane sugar. Intense cacao from Sao Tome with muscovado sugar and a subtle liquorice after-taste was my winner. www.favarger.com

Hifas de Terra: Spanish chocolate bars with mushrooms! Meaty, amazing, delicious and what a dinner party talking point. www.hifasdaterra.com

Mayca: An ancient, caramelised sauce from northern Mexico made with goats’ milk, cane sugar and vanilla – that doesn’t taste of goats. A spread, filling, pancake topping and much more. www.mayca.mx

Mirabilia olive-leaf tea: An Italian tradition brought to a wider world. Great antioxidant and other health claims and very delicious to drink, hot or cold. From an English-owned olive grove in Abruzzo. www.oleaft.com

Pinkster Gin: This Valentine-pink gin macerated with raspberries, is destined to be the hit of next summer’s season of polo, racing, rowing and royalty. www.pinkstergin.com

Rubis: A luscious chocolate and fortified red-tempranillo grape wine that will change every idea you entertain of what a dessert wine might be. Ambient or chilled. www.rubiswine.com

Sorrel cordial: A traditional bright red beverage base from Trinidad. Based on what others call sorelle or hibiscus and spiced with cinnamon and lots of cloves. A new taste to most. www.woodfordandwarner.com

Truede chocolate teaspoons: Why didn’t anyone do this before? Packs of chocolate teaspoons, three dark, three milk. Brilliant. www.truede.com

Victoria’s Rhubarb Gin: The original rhubarb stools came from Queen Victoria’s garden and are now grown the old-fashioned, kitchen garden way on Crown Estate-owned land. Great martini mixing possibilities. www.warneredwards.com