A sandwich capturing a taste of Derbyshire has been named the best sandwich in Britain.
Michael Thompson, head chef at the Druid Inn in Birchover, Derbyshire, has won PubChef's Pub Sandwich of the Year 2005 competition.
Thompson's winning sandwich, entitled"A Derbyshire tradition", impressed the judging panel with its excellent presentation and taste and high-quality ingredients.
The sandwich, which costs £8, features home-made black pudding bread, Peak District steak, Hartington Stilton, field mushrooms from Ashbourne and brown sauce onions. It is served with home-made chips and chef's canteen ketchup and aïoli.
Thompson won a trip for two to Paris, 10 cases of Delifrance products and a plaque to put up outside his pub.
He was one of four finalists who were selected from dozens of paper entries. The panel of judges which included Lucy Pickersgill, marketing director of Delifrance UK, and PubChef editor Jo Bruce then carried out site visits to each finalist's pub to sample their entered sandwich.
"Entrants didn't necessarily take the easy option, with some raising the profile of the sandwich to a complete meal."
The three other finalists were: the Punch Tavern, Fleet Street, London; the Gun, Docklands, London, and the Lydden Bell, Lydden, near Dover, Kent.
l For more information see the June issue of PubChef.