Time to toot our own horn! The Taste section is a two-time finalist in the journalism competition that is held by the Association of Food Journalists. Both projects are competing in the Special Food Section category.

One is the "Taste 50" section from last year, which featured 50 people in the Twin Cities who have been noteworthy in local foods. The special project featured terrific text from Rick Nelson, stunning photos from Tom Wallace (who shot 125 photos for this single issue), amazing design by Nicole Hvidsten (who fortunately did not develop carpal tunnel from all that intricate work necessary from all those photos), with coordination from me (that would be Lee Svitak Dean). The special section included an interactive online site, too. Find it here.

The three-part series by freelancer Steve Hoffman, "A Letter From France," is also a finalist in this category. Steve eloquently wrote about olives, figs, goats and cheese as he told stories of life in a tiny village in France where he and his family spent the fall. His wife, Mary Jo, served as photographer for the series, which included a video that she and her daughter produced. Find the video here.


We've been proud of these projects from the start. But being acknowledged as finalists is extra sweet. The winners will be announced in September.

See below for the full roster of award finalists.

2013 AFJ Awards Competition List of Finalists

Finalists below are listed in alphabetical order. More than three finalists in any category indicate one or more ties.

Best Newspaper Special Food Project
"This Is Pittsburgh Food," Bob Batz Jr., Food Editor, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Letters from France," Steve Hoffman, Minneapolis Star Tribune
"On Our Plate," Nancy Stohs, Food Editor, Milwaukee Journel Sentinel
"Edge City," Jill Silva, Food Editor, Kansas City Star
"Taste 50," Lee Dean, Food Editor, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Best Newspaper Food Coverage, above 200,000 circulation
Boston Globe, Sheryl Julian, Food Editor
Philadelphia Daily News, Food Editor: Laurie T. Conrad
The San Francisco Chronicle, Miriam Morgan, Food Editor
The Washington Post, Joe Yonan, Food Editor


Best Newspaper Food Coverage, below 200,000 circulation
The Advocate, Baton Rouge, LA, Cheramie Sonnier, Food Editor
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Bob Batz Jr., Food Editor
San Antonio Express-News, Karen Haram, Food Editor


Best Newspaper Food Feature, above 220,000 circulation
Andrea Adleman, The Washington Post, "The Psychology of Cupcakes"
Katy McLaughlin, The Wall Street Journal, "Get Your Goat On"
Greg Morago, The Houston Chronicle, "Barbecue Nerds"


Best Newspaper Food Feature, 125,000-220,000 circulation
Cindy Hoedel, The Kansas City Star, "Rabbit Revival"
Jackie Loohauis-Bennett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Creating More Than a Stir"
Jill Silva, The Kansas City Star, "Growing Change"


Best Newspaper Food Feature, below 125,000 circulation
Drew Lazor, Philadelphia City Paper, "Acts of Will"
Stacy Schultz, Sauce Magazine, "A Second Shot"
Katharine Shilcutt, Houston Press, "Chef Endures Cancer, Loss of Sense and Taste"


Best Non-newspaper Food Feature
Nadia Arumugam, The Atlantic, "Expired"
Todd Klimon, Washingtonian, "Everywhere at Once"
Chad Robertson, Food Arts, "Baker in the Rye"

Best Restaurant Criticism
Bobby Ampezzan, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Ian Froeb, Riverfront Times
Tejal Rao, The Village Voice
Laura Reily, Tampa Bay Times

Best Food Visual
Joaquin Herrera, The San Antonio Express-News, "S.A. Food Savvy?"
Francisco Kjolseth, Salt Lake Tribune, "Winged Salute to July 4th"
James Nielsen, The Houston Chronicle, "The Great State of Barbecue"
Richard Stokes, Reno Magazine, "Savor Summer"


Best Food Essay
Darra Goldstein, The Wall Street Journal, "A Bribe-Worthy Chicken Dish"
Todd Klimon, Washingtonian, "Champagne & Sippy Cups"
Marge Perry, Newsday, "Cupcakes That Say Love"


Best Writing on Beer, Wine and/or Spirits
Jon Bonne, San Francisco Chronicle, "Restoring a Napa Legend"
Wendy Goldman Rohm, Playboy, "The Talented Mr. K"
Jason Wilson, TableMatters.com, "When Wine Talk Gets Weird"

Best Story on Food Policy or Food Issues
Carolyn Jung, Food Arts, "Foie and Its Discontents"
Andy Mannix and Mike Mullen, City Pages, "Milk Money"
Hanna Raskin, Seattle Weekly, "Peaches and Dreams"


Best Food Column
Kellie Hynes, Sauce Magazine
Martha J. Miller, EthnoTraveler Magazine
Hanna Raskin and Dan Person, Seattle Weekly
Best Food Blog, Multiple Writers
Phoenix New Times
The Salt, NPR
Inside Scoop, San Francisco Chronicle
Best Food Multimedia Presentation
Feast magazine, Hannah Radcliff
Indy Week, D.L. Anderson and Victoria Bouloubasis
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Gretchen McKay and Steve Mellon


Best Student Writing on Food
Stephanie Parker, University of Montana writing for The Kaimin, "Investing in a
Little Produce"
Shelby Vittek, Drexel University writing for TableMatters.com, "My Endangered Dinner"
Shelby Vittek, Drexel University writing for TableMatters.com, "Old Nordic"