Marshfield Farm Ice Cream

With the great British summertime drawing ever closer, what better opportunity to be afforded than a trip to Marshfield Farm. A trip whereby the female (and unashamedly sweet-toothed) members of my family joined me on a tour of the factory, dairy and farm; discovering the concept of 'cow to cone' which concluded (well...and began) with a generous sample of every flavour - yes, all 28 - from Marshfield's award-winning range of ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet.

Date and time: Saturday 2 May 2015, 11:00am

Name of Establishment: Marshfield Farm

Location: Chippenham, SN14 8LE

Reason for visit: An access all areas invitation to Marshfield Farm...a.k.a. An all-things-ice cream experience. Yes please!

Kids on the Cow-ch

Driving up the single-track road towards Marshfield Farm has become something of a pilgrimage for ice cream enthusiasts Nationwide. The demand for this top-end dairy ice cream (made since 1988, with organic milk produced each day from the farm's 200-strong herd of Friesians), generating the need for an ice cream parlour; one that opens its doors each weekend from April-September. This is a friendly, rustic space which focuses on the main event without the need for glitzy decor or gimmicky flavours. In essence, we're talking all the fun of the farm - ride-on tractors and scooters for the kids, a milking cow (affectionately named Howard by my eldest niece) and a chance to meet the latest additions to the herd...so cute! Ice cream can be enjoyed by the scoop – or as part of a sundae if you're feeling especially adventurous - and is also available to purchase to take home in various quantities and flavours...

Milking 'Howard'

More later on what is, without doubt, a tantalising array of flavours but for now...Trussed up in our white coats and hair nets, owner Dawn Hawking showed us around the factory. It's amazing how the entire process from milking to packaging takes place pretty much under one roof and with only 40 members of staff running the show, ice cream from Marshfield Farm can be enjoyed throughout the UK and beyond. For instance, we were informed that the ice cream served in the Sharm El Sheikh branch of the Hard Rock Café would come from the very room in which we were stood; which is pretty incredible given the artisan feel that emanates this rather modest space. We learned of the six-hour stabilising process to ensure that the ice creams' consistency remains intact and also how a food technologist scrutinises the ingredients in order to guarantee that they fulfill the criteria which underpins the company's all-natural ethos. Thus, chocolate brownies are sourced from nearby Marshfield Bakery, fudge pieces are from Devon and fruit from the Vale of Evesham. As a result, all products are created without artificial colours, flavours and preservatives and are free from hydrogenated palm oil. The perfectly pink appearance of ‘Succulent Strawberry’ for example, is derived from beetroot rather than any of the nasties you may well find elsewhere. Furthermore, all Marshfield products are suitable for vegetarians, most are gluten free and all are GM free – win! We discussed how new flavours are trialed and I can reveal that there are some fantastic flavours in the offing for this year's festive season, (watch this space!) along with some innovative creations - rich both in terms of texture and taste - intended to accompany dessert in a restaurant setting.

Can you guess which flavour this is?

The Big Chill

So now for those all-important flavours and it's fair to say that, for me at least, there wasn't one encountered that wasn't well received. That said, favourites included the 'Funky Banana' which was swirled with thick chocolate sauce and loaded with a generous measure of creamy fudge pieces and the 'Luscious Lemon'; a new addition to the range with a flash of zesty citrus...an ice cream with a palate cleansing quality which would suitably pair a rich pudding or, in our case, amply prep our taste buds for the next sample! My mum particularly favoured the ‘rich clotted cream’ and the variation of this which had been muddled with real blackcurrant pieces; confirming that the fruit here wasn't the usual freeze-dried variety that amounts to that unpleasant icy crunch! Of the flavours scooping a coveted 'Great Taste' award, the 'Mango Madness' proved a winner for us, the sweetness of the mango offsetting the tart of its raspberry ripple to perfection. The children, and the big kids amongst us (myself included) were also really rather taken with the Candy Floss Crush, it's strawberry milkshake style appeal reminiscent of sunshiney evenings from my childhood. In fact, this flavour was so unanimously enjoyed, that we took a whole 8 litres of it home between us...yes really! The frozen yogurt had been made with real yogurt rather than a powdered equivalent and established a vivid flavour and rouger texture as a result; tasty!

Decisions, Decisions...

Sundaes on a Saturday

Overall, it's fair to say that you can taste the quality with every flavour; the creamy disposition synonymous with the Marshfield tag makes for a thicker, more indulgent finish so unlike other (dare I say, cheaper) brands of ice cream that have been aerated to bulk them out and rapidly melt to very little, they hold their own. Hence, its unsurprising that Marshfield Farm have created something of a benchmark where real dairy ice cream is concerned and that visitors flock to their 'headquarters' in order to stock up their freezers. With giant 4 litre scooping tubs coming in at £15, 1 litre tubs for £4.50 and newfound 500ml 'sofa-suited' tubs at roughly £3.50, these are competitively priced alongside their peers. What's more, as well as the farm itself (which really is worth a visit), there are many outlets from which to source a variety of flavours - see the website for a full list of stockists. To finish, let me put to you the question that those at the helm of Marshfield's success have been researching (and in light of my recent review of Sundaes Gelato) which is; why choose dairy ice cream over Italian Gelato? I'd suggest that although Gelato is denser and supposedly more indulgent by default (due to the higher proportion of milk and lower proportion of cream plus a notably slower churning process), for me, its about the quality of the end product and the poignancy of the flavours; the latter often seeming to fall short when it comes to Gelato. Marshfield's ice cream can certainly not be accused of this shortcoming and neither can it be criticised for its composition...do the taste test for yourself, you'll see exactly what I mean...!

Rather than a second opinion, I will suggest that taming two under-fives with anything at all is quite an achievement. Consequently, the silence that ensued once they had a sundae each in-hand seemed to speak volumes...great stuff!

References:

*http://www.marshfield-icecream.co.uk

Homemade Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich...yum!

Sundaes Gelato, Baldwin Street

You’ve got to be pretty dedicated to your sweet tooth to indulge in ice cream prior to Sunday lunch and on the wettest / coldest day of the year thus far. And yet, I’d suggest that a trip to Sundaes Gelato is an advisable alternative to nursing one’s hangover from within a duvet cocoon given the absolute abundance of desserts on offer; the waffles, crepes, cupcakes, tray bakes and pastries (not to mention the gelato itself) undoubtedly making the typical Sunday morning get-up altogether worth abandoning.

Date and Time: Sunday 22 February 2015, 12:00 noon
Name of Establishment: Sundaes Gelato*
Location: 23-25 Baldwin Street, Bristol
Reason for visit: Well it certainly wasn’t to cool down on a hot day!

When it comes to first impressions, this emporium of sweet treats appears rather gimmicky; its colourful décor punctuated with neon signage and bulky red pleather seating. That said, your eyes are drawn, almost instantly, to the counter which makes for a pretty spectacular focal point given the array of ice cream, sorbets and frozen yogurt that you must painstakingly choose between.

After sampling about half a dozen flavours (whereby Tutti Frutti and Bounty proved strong contenders in the decision-making process), I settled on blue banana and white chocolate Kinder Bueno which was tastefully presented on a thick wafer ‘dish’ and scattered with mashmallows. This was an enormous portion for its £4 price tag which was a real plus-point given how niche an ice cream parlour is for us Bristolians and thus, how much more those behind this venture could charge us for the privilege of all all-hours dessert drop-in! The blue banana, besides looking like a liquidated smurf was a little bland in terms of its flavour but appropriately creamy nevertheless. I'd heard reports of the Bueno tasting rather like its duller, vanilla counterpart but I thought, with crushed wafer running through it, that it was spot-on and in fact, I could have easily managed a second helping. My partner in all things 'foodie' also chose two scoops; Jammy Dodger and Ferrero Rocher ; the latter advisable only if you really really like this particular chocolate, (which incidentally, I do not – pleh!) In short, I’d suggest that to be blindfolded and asked to guess between flavours would be an achievable feat, meaning that the many varieties have been accurately executed…anyone want to challenge me?! Waffles, crepes and sundaes (obviously) are also available and there are plenty to choose from – though the billed accompaniment is largely vanilla ice cream which is disappointing given the plethora of innovative alternatives available...I'm guessing that you can switch this up but I reckon it may well depend on who you ask given some of the stoney-faced servers that I spotted behind the counter...

This leads me on to the service which was passable in terms of efficiency and yet, not overly friendly – it was a far cry from nearby Angelberry where staff go out of their way to ensure that you make an informed decision when creating your fro-yo masterpiece! A distinct lack of enthusiasm here seemed to downplay the initial excitement experienced which, for me at least, was a real shame.

Furthermore, I was forced (by default) to order an espresso as a flat white could only be manufactured with whole milk. I guess it's assumed that indulging in vast quantities of dairy comes with the territory, but then again, my sensative disposition can stomach ice cream but not whole milk – thus the need for espresso which, if truth be told, was grainy and unpleasant. In any case, milkshakes and smoothies seem to be the drink of choice here and I noted all nature of concoctions being placed in front of their wide-eyed recipients!

In conclusion, Sundaes Gelato is fast becoming a popular hang-out for the city's masses; whereby its generous opening hours (from 7.30am-Midnight seven days a week) constitute a mixed bag in terms of its clientele; lending to the establishment an excitable ambiance...One which will undoubtedly fluctuate in the presence of sugar-fuelled infants or apres-alcohol teens. That said, a sizeable workforce ensures that the interior is well-kept and clean and I have no complaints regarding the gelato itself; though some of the flavours are arguably a little 'vanilla' and it would be favourable to introduce 'guest' or seasonal creations every now and again, (in case I make my way through the existing line-up, that is...) Dishes are well-presented and generously portioned; their value for money a huge factor in why Sundaes Gelato may well be my new favourite indulgence. Yes, it may well be a tad overrated, but I think that it has secured its appeal amidst our predominantly savoury city...which brings me back to that aforementioned Sunday lunch and the mantra that graces my fridge…’life is uncertain, eat dessert first’. Enough said

And now for the second opinion...
My sweet toothed companion gave Sundaes Gelato a rating of 6/10 and in three words, described her experience as 'sweet but lacking'.

 

References:
*https://www.facebook.com/sundaesgelatofranchise
Official website coming soon...

Food envy...?!