The Southern Living Food Awards

By Hannah Hayes

The Southern Living Test Kitchen taste-tested over 300 of the newest artisan products to find the best Southern-made foods. These are our 24 favorites and 22 runners-up. 

Start Slideshow

1 of 54

The 2015 Southern Living Food Awards

Photo: Hector Sanchez

We kicked off our three-day taste test by sampling nearly 60 jars of jams and jellies and ended with a side-by-side comparison of 46 different kinds of coffee. In between the sugar headaches and caffeine rushes, not only did we find the perfect pickle and the most refreshing summer beer, but also we discovered the stories of the people who make them. They all remind us that the best Southern recipes mix innovation with tradition.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 54

Best Pickles: Texas Sweet Heat Pickles

Hector Sanchez

Pogue Mahone Pickles
Made in Austin, TX

Cool, crisp, and zingy all at once. The sweetness of these bread-and-butter-style pickles—our favorite of all the food we tasted—tempers the piquant punch of jalapeño, mustard seeds, and black peppercorns.

$10 for 16 oz.; poguemahonepickles.com

3 of 54

Best Beer and Best Snack

Photo: Hector Sanchez

See following slides for category winners.

Advertisement

4 of 54

Summer Basil Farmhouse Ale

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Fullsteam Brewery
Made in: Durham, NC

The beer equivalent of lemonade. The intensity of the North Carolina-grown basil varies depending on when the basil is harvested during summer.

$6 for 22 oz.; fullsteam.ag

5 of 54

Pork Clouds

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Bacon's Heir
Made in: Atlanta, GA

A gourmet take on gas station rinds, kettle-cooked in olive oil for a light and airy texture with a satisfying crunch. In flavors like Malabar Black Pepper, Rosemary-and-Sea Salt, and Cinnamon Ceylon, it's an extraordinary high-low snack.

$12 for 6 bags; baconsheir.com

6 of 54

Best Sweets

Photo: Hector Sanchez

See following slides for category winners.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 54

Tupelo Honey Shortbread Bites

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Willa's Shortbread
Made in: Madison, TN

Tiny cookies sweetened with buttery, floral Tupelo honey.

$12.25 for 6-oz. tin; willas-shortbread.com

8 of 54

Original Salted Caramels

Shotwell Candy Co.
Made in: Memphis, TN

Semi-hard caramels, infused with Kentucky bourbon and vanilla for a rich, deep flavor.

$9.75 for 12 pieces; shotwellcandy.com

9 of 54

Buttermilk Ice Cream

Southern Craft Creamery
Made in: Marianna, FL

Supremely creamy with a subtle lemon-like tang. Milk from the creamery's own family-run dairy provides the velvety base.

$8 for 1 pt.; southerncraftcreamery.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 54

Wildflower Honeycomb Chocolate Bar

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Chocolat by Adam Turoni
Made in: Savannah, GA

Gilded dark chocolate bars that ooze with raw wildflower honeycomb at first bite. Nearby business Savannah Bee Company supplies the honey. Almost too pretty to eat, they've come our hostess gift of choice. 

$6.25 for 1 bar; chocolatat.com

11 of 54

Best Seasoning, Best Hot Sauce, and Best Vinegar

Photo: Hector Sanchez

See following slides for category winners.

12 of 54

Jalapeño, Serrano, and Habanero Sauces

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Yellowbird Sauce
Made in: Austin, TX

A brighter, less astringent hot sauce that uses citrus juice as the backdrop for fiery peppers in its three different varieties. This bottle has become our main squeeze.

$8 for 19 oz.; yellowbirdsauce.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 54

Habanero-Infused Vinegar

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Frankie V's Kitchen
Made in: Dallas, TX

That tired bottle of green pepper vinegar has met its match. Frankie V's high-octane pepper sauce, made by steeping organic habaneros in organic white vinegar, is our new go-to for field peas and greens. It delivers blazing acidity.

$6 for 8.5 oz.; frankievskitchen.com

14 of 54

French Picnic Salt and Friends Forever Salt

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Beautiful Briny Sea
Made in: Atlanta, GA

Hand-harvested sea salt blended with herbs and spices. Granulated honey makes Friends Forever savory-sweet; French Picnic adds Dijon mustard and herbes de Provence with a subtle hint of lavender.

$9 for 8 oz.; e-mail info@beautifulbrinysea.com

15 of 54

Best Jam and Best Spreads

Photo: Hector Sanchez

See following slides for category winners. 

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 54

Ghost Pepper Whipped Honey

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Cloister Honey
Made in: Charlotte, NC

Thick, spreadable honey with a creamy sweetness that soothes the slow-burning bite from notoriously hot ghost peppers. A dollop heats up a ho-hum cheese board—or try it as a glaze on smoked wings.

$8 for 9 oz.; cloisterhoney.com

17 of 54

Strawberry Balsamic Preserves

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Blackberry Farm
Made in: Walland, TN

A scarlet jam made with strawberries grown in the gardens of the farmstead-style resort. The tart twist of balsamic vinegar keeps the chunky preserves vibrant, not cloyingly sweet, and the chunky texture is a perfect match to the fluffy interior of a biscuit. 

$19 for 8 oz.; blackberryfarm.com

18 of 54

Mission Almond Butter

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Big Spoon Roasters
Made in: Durham, NC

A three-ingredient nut butter that blends wildflower honey and sea salt with heirloom Mission almonds, which are creamier and richer than regular almonds.

$14 for 8 oz.; bigspoonroasters.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 54

Best Sweets

Photo: Hector Sanchez

See following slides for category winners.

20 of 54

Twenty Strong

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

King Bean Coffee Roasters
Made in: Charleston, SC

A dark, chocolaty roast with a fruity hint of berries. These beans, the company's 20th anniversary blend, produce a black-coffee lover's dream: a full-bodied brew, with low acidity and plenty of pep.

$12.99 for 12 oz.; kingbean.com

21 of 54

Front Porch Special

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Piper and Leaf Artisan Tea Co.
Made in: Huntsville, AL

A black tea blend dotted with cornflowers that produces the perfect pitcher of iced tea. It's spiked with delicate notes of cooling spearmint, jasmine, and a tinge of bittersweet orange from bergamot peel.

$9 for 15 servings; piperandleaf.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 54

Goat Cheese Cheesecake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Belle Chèvre
Made in: Elkmont, AL

A light and airy cheesecake, delicately scented with vanilla and lemon zest. Alabama-made goat cheese, the signature ingredient, lends a cloud-like texture and some tangy tartness.

$35 for 6-inch cake; bellechevre.com

23 of 54

Best Spirits, Cocktail Mixers, and Bitters

Photo: Hector Sanchez

See following slides for category winners.

24 of 54

Bloody Mary Mix

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Debutante Farmer
Made In: Oxford, MS

Bursting with the vine-fresh verve of summer tomatoes and fresh lime juice (for zip without the sinus-clearing horseradish). This bottle is our new brunch must-have.

$14 for 25.4 oz.; elizabethheiskell.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 54

No. 6 Oaxacan Old Fashioned

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Bittermilk
Made in: Charleston, SC

A subtly spicy blend of Mexican chiles, cocoa nibs, spices, and sweet raisins. Mix with mezcal or rum.

$15 for 8.5 oz.; bittermilk.com

26 of 54

Pineapple Gum Syrup

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Liber & Co.
Made in: Austin, TX

A fruit-forward mixer, made with fresh pineapple juice and cane sugar, that tastes like a tropical resort bar in a bottle.

$8 for 8.5 oz.; liberandcompany.com

27 of 54

Bristow Gin

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Bristow Gin
Made in: Jackson, MS

A botanical—not piney—gin with hints of orange peel and minty hyssop. It pairs perfectly with Jack Rudy's Elderflower Tonic.

$35 for 750 milliliters; bristowgin.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 54

Belle Meade Bourbon Sherry Cask Finish

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Green Brier Distillery
Made in: Nashville, TN

A special batch of nine-year-old bourbon, matured in sherry casks from Spain for a darker color and sweeter, nutty taste.

$75 for 750 milliliters; greenbrierdistillery.com

29 of 54

Richland Rum

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Richland Rum
Made in: Richland, GA

A butterscotch-like rum made with sugarcane grown on the owners' estate. It goes down so smooth we love to drink it straight up.

$52 for 750 milliliters; richlandrum.com

30 of 54

Elderflower Tonic

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

Jack Rudy Cocktail Co.
Made in: Charleston, SC

A floral twist on traditional tonic, with subtle hints of pear and lychee. We recommend trying it with gin, bourbon, rum, or even tequila.

$16 for 17 oz.; jackrudycocktailco.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

31 of 54

Cucumber & Lavender Bitters

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

El Guapo Bitters
Made in: New Orleans, LA

Nonalcoholic bitters that impart herbal freshness. Just a few drops elevate a gin and tonic. SL

$24 for 7 oz.; elguapobitters.com

32 of 54

Runner Up: Woodford Reserve® Bourbon-Smoked Chef's Spice Blend

Bourbon Barrel Foods
Made in: Louisville, KY

A savory mix of spices, salt, and sugar—all smoked over whiskey-soaked oak—with dried parsley and garlic. 

$10 for 2 oz.; bourbonbarrelfoods.com

33 of 54

Runner Up: Small-Batch Bourbon Truffles

Art Eatables
Made in: Louisville, KY

Our drink of choice distilled into gorgeous chocolate truffles; pick from makers like Buffalo Trace, Maker's Mark, Four Roses, and Wild Turkey. 

$10 for 4-piece box; arteatables.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

34 of 54

Runner Up: Gourmet Ice Pops

The Hyppo
Made in: St. Augustine, FL

Available in fresh flavors like Pineapple-Cilantro, Straight-Up Strawberry, Berry-Cheesecake, and Honey-Pear. 

$40 for 12 pops; thehyppo.com

35 of 54

Runner Up: Green Martini Mater Pickles

beta verde
Made in: Winston-Salem, NC

Our new favorite martini garnish; these green cherry tomatoes are soaked in an garlic-and-herb-flavored brine. 

$8 for 6 oz.; betaverde.blogspot.com

36 of 54

Runner Up: Shrimp Dip

Big T Coastal Provisions
Made in: Mount Pleasant, SC

Not your typical store-bought seafood dip; it's packed with chunky shrimp complimented by a blend of cheddar cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice, and spices. 

$8 for 8 oz.; bigtcoastalprovisions.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

37 of 54

Runner Up: The Filthy Liar Cocktail Mixer

White Whale Bold Mixers
Made in: Durham, NC

Made with delicately sweet and floral lychee fruit, rosemary, and spicy clove; add it to your next gin and tonic for a fruity twist. 

$10 for 8 ozz; drinkwhitewhale.com

38 of 54

Runner Up: Valines Famous Cocktail Sauce

Valines Famous
Made in: Columbia, SC

A Southern-made cocktail sauce fitting of Southern-caught seafood; it has the perfect hit of horseradish.

$16 for 2 9.6 oz. jars; valinesfamous.com

39 of 54

Runner Up: Bourbon Marshmallows

Wondermade
Made in: Orlando, FL

Adds boozy sweetness to S'mores and hot chocolate; these little squares have a fluffy texture that sets them apart from store-bought marshmallows. 

$8 for 16 piece box: wondermade.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

40 of 54

Runner Up: Fleur de Sel Pecan Toffee

Lambrecht Gourmet
Made in: Herber Springs, AR

A toffee take on chocolate-pecan pie with the perfect sprinkle of savory sea salt. 

$16 for 18 piece box; lambrechtgourmet.com

41 of 54

Runner Up: Sweet Garlic Vinaigrette

T. Lish 
Made in: Birmingham, AL

Subtly sweet from the mellowed taste of roasted garlic; it's divine on pasta salad. 

$7 for 12 oz; tlish.com

42 of 54

Runner Up: Wicked Pickle Chips

Wickles Pickles
Made in: Dadeville, AL

Sweet bread-and-butter-style pickles with that pack a punch from dried chili peppers; they're an essential ingredient for a great cheeseburger. 

$5 for 16 oz.; wicklespickles.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

43 of 54

Runner Up: Prairie Standard Hoppy Farmhouse Ale

Prairie Artisan Ales
Made in: Krebs, OK

A crisp, hoppy saison with a little zing of lime; it's our go-to light beer. 

$12 for 4 12 oz. bottles; prairieales.com

44 of 54

Runner Up: Organic Sprouted Gluten-Free Yellow Corn Grits

The Sprouted Flour
Made in: Fitzpatrick, AL

Creamy, course-ground grits with the added beneifts that come from sprouted corn. 

$3.80 for 1 lb.; healthyflour.com

45 of 54

Runner Up: Cold Brew Coffee

Highbrow Cold Brew Coffee
Made in: Huntsville, AL

Made with beans allowed to blossom for 3 days in cold water; it makes for a smooth sipper. 

$30 for 2 32 oz. bottles: highbrowcoldbrew.com

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

46 of 54

Runner Up: Beer Vinegar

Back Forty Beer Co.
Made in: Gadsden, AL

Pleasantly tart blanaced by the malty taste of Back Forty's craft beer; bring a bottle to your next fish fry. 

$8 for 12 oz.; backfortybeer.com

47 of 54

Runner Up: Buddascotch-Oatmeal Southern Style Bite Size Cookies

G Momma's Southern Style Bite Size Cookies
Made in: Selma, AL

Crispy cookies made with butterscotch chips, oats, and cinnamon; their tiny size provides a convenient excuse to have more than just one. 

$10 for 2 5.5 oz. bags; gmommas.com

48 of 54

Runner Up: Revival Sorghum Whiskey