Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – During the National Association of Specialty Foods Trade 2007 Summer Fancy Food Show held July 11, Cundy’s Harbor Lobster Stew from Hancock Gourmet Lobster Co. won for the Outstanding Soup, Stew, Bean or Chili category of the sofi Gold Awards, formerly known as the NASFT Product Awards. The news was a pleasant surprise to the stew’s creator, Patty LeBlanc, of Presque Isle, who sold the recipe to the Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company a few years ago.
“After several years of success selling my lobster stew, I decided it was time to sell the recipe and move on with other projects and interests. I received news of the award recently and have to say it was a wonderful surprise to hear a recipe of mine received such an honor,” said LeBlanc.
The stew was judged by a panel of specialty food retailers, supermarket buyers, natural food merchants, chefs and culinary educators from around the country. The competition included judging of nearly 3,000 specialty food items in 30 categories. Entries were received from all over the world, with 72 countries exhibiting over 140,000 products represented at this year’s show.
“The stew is made using our traditional Maine family recipe as the foundation,” said company president Cal Hancock. “We put a whole lobster in every quart and they are huge chunks.”
Hancock described the recipe as, “simple, yet rich and full of flavor.”
“There are no other fillers, just the great taste of Maine lobster. It’s been a great success – customers order and re-order again and again,” said Hancock.
Hancock Lobster Company, of Topsham, purchased the rights and recipe from LeBlanc’s Gourmet Lobster Stew in 2001. Gerald and Patty LeBlanc, former owners of LeBlanc’s Gourmet Lobster, were informed of the award by Hancock.
“Cal Hancock renamed the stew Cundy’s Harbor Lobster Stew. That’s where the lobster comes from,” said LeBlanc.
According to LeBlanc, the stew has been a great success for the company.
“It uses the same traditional Maine family recipe, adding big chunks of lobster to every quart. The stew has become the company’s signature product,” said LeBlanc.
LeBlanc said the award served as quite a compliment for a product that originated in Aroostook County. LeBlanc and her husband, Gerald, used to own and operate Winnie’s Dairy Bar.
“I’m quite excited that the stew has won this award. I feel it shows that Aroostook County products can and do meet a high standard of excellence,” said LeBlanc.
“I’m delighted to have something so close to my heart win such a prestigious award and congratulate Hancock’s for their success with the recipe,” said LeBlanc.
