At first, coming up with the idea for what has been judged this year’s best retail product in the 2011 Seafood Excellence Awards was like a “Monty Python” moment, says Brendan James Maher, owner and president of Scotland-based St. James Smokehouse.
It’s whimsical,” explains Maher. “When I submitted it, the opening line was, ‘Don’t have time for an appetizer and a cocktail? Try St. James Scotch Reserve Smoked Salmon infused with Hendricks Scottish Gin and Tonic.’”
St. James Smokehouse and Dish Hospitality of Mumbai, India, whose Prawn Lollipop was named best in the foodservice category, were the top award winners in the new product competition at the International Boston Seafood Show on Sunday.
Maher says the reason why people like the salmon infused with gin and tonic is simple: Because it works.
“The gin and the lemon and lime complement our flavor profile,” says Maher. “One of the judges came up and said it was the best product he’d ever tasted.”
The winner of the foodservice prize, Dish Hospitality’s Prawn Lollipop, also won the convenience award at the Seafood Prix d'Elite new products competition at the 2010 European Seafood Exposition.
Inspiration, says director Amandeep Singh, came not from a recipe. Vikas Seth, the company’s corporate executive chef, drew upon childhood memories to create a product that is unique in both taste and shape.
“It’s not like you can open a cookbook and make it from that,” says Singh. “It’s a unique product, even in India.”
The appetizers are made with “Indian pickled flavored juicy chunky prawns” coated with rice flakes on a 100 percent natural sugarcane stick, which gives each one a sweet finish.
“When you finish eating it, you chew to the center and get a sweetness,” says Seth.?The competition judges were Joe Koran, senior category development manager of seafood for Foodbuy; Ken Henessey, seafood category manager for Hannaford and Sweetbay Supermarkets; and Will Wadsworth, culinary development chef at Mitchell’s Fish Market.
The two winning products were judged from a field of 11 finalists that were announced in late February by show producer Diversified Business Communications, which also publishes SeafoodSource.com. The products were judged on packaging, convenience, marketability, nutrition, originality and overall eating experience.
In addition to Wadsworth, the competition judges were Joe Koran, senior category development manager of seafood for Foodbuy, and Ken Henessey, seafood category manager for Hannaford and Sweetbay Supermarkets.
