DORSET once again tastes great as its food retailers and restaurants have scooped coveted awards.

Around 60 food and drink businesses in the county have been recognised in the Great Taste South West Awards.

The awards range from one to three stars. Businesses awarded include the South West Garlic Farm, Chesil Smokery, and Dorset Shellfish Ltd, which all picked up two-star awards.

The Chocolate Arthouse from Alweston in Sherborne was awarded three stars.

More than 10,000 products were put forward for the awards. During the judging process, products are removed from their wrapper, jars or bottles before being tasted by food critics, chefs, restaurateurs, cooks and producers, food writers and journalists.

While producers revel in their success, they also wait in anticipation to see if they can scoop a ‘golden fork’ in the Great Taste Golden Fork Awards, held on September 7.

A spokesman for the Great Taste Awards said: “Judges look for great texture and appearance. They judge the quality of ingredients and how well the maker has put the food or drink together. But above all, they look for truly great taste.

“For three-stars, every single judge attending the session, which can be as many as 40 experts, must unanimously agree the food delivers that indescribable ‘wow’ factor.”

A panel of judges including Masterchef’s Charles Campion, TV presenter and cook Aggie Mackenzie, Great British Bake Off winner Frances Quinn have together re-judged the three-star winners to agree on the Top 50 Foods, the Golden Fork Trophy winners and the Great Taste Supreme Champion for 2015.