GOATS cheese and spinach quiche from A Basing Bakes impressed the judges at the Great Taste Awards.

The quiche won a two-star accolade at the awards, which are widely acknowledged as a respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers.

Helen Lang, who runs the business from her Hatch Warren home, said she was over-the-moon to receive the award. They are judged by over 400 of the most demanding palates belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs, producers and a host of food writers and journalists. 

The judges certainly had their work cut out for them as they took part in blind-tasting 10,000 different foods and drinks.

“I was delighted,” said the former Preston Candover School cook.

“It was my first attempt to enter the awards and I couldn’t have been happier to receive the two-star accolade.

“I make about eight different flavours of quiche, so next time I might enter more of them.”

She said the award has certainly inspired her to continue developing her gluten free range.

In addition to quiches, she also makes cakes and bakes gluten free bread.

“I had put out on Facebook asking for ideas as to what to enter for the competition, and my goats cheese and spinach quiche is what people suggested,” Said Helen.

“I have been producing gluten free products for the past three years, and these are stocked by several cafes locally, including House Twenty8 in Sherfield-on-Loddon.

“In fact House 28 was my first customer,” added Helen, who is keen to expand the number of local artisan food outlets that sell her bakes.

She already supplies the Holiday Inn Basingstoke with cakes and teaches people in their own homes how to cook gluten free.