Ling honey ice cream launched by Northern Irish artisan business

Northern Ireland's award winning Glastry Farm Ice Cream has launched a new Ling Heather Honey flavour. The farm based ice-cream and low fat sorbet maker has teamed up with a leading local beekeeper, Michael Young, to create the new flavour using honey from bees on the heather clad mountains around Limavady in county Derry.

The new honey ice cream was created at the suggestion of Chris Mawhinney, executive head chef of the Hilton Hotel in Belfast. Mawhinney introduced Will Taylor, to Young, chairman of the Northern Ireland Institute of Beekeepers and a sous chef at the Hilton.

Taylor says: "We were supplying ice cream to the Hilton and it was suggested by Chris that we could develop a Ling Honey. I thought it was a great idea. Michael Young then produced honey from his hives around Limavady for use in our development work.

"We've always been keen to look at new flavours using ingredients from local suppliers. Last year, for example, we launched a stout ice cream using Belfast Black stout from Whitewater Brewing Company in county Down. It's proving to be a popular development.

"Heather honey is different in that it is dark in colour with a powerful aroma that is reminiscent of the heather from which it comes. Uniquely, it has a very unusual texture: it is which means it is like jello until it is stirred when it turns liquid. Overall, the handcrafted honey ice cream has a very rich and distinctive flavour.

"In Britain, it is highly-prized by connoisseurs and known as the Rolls-Royce or caviar of honey."

Glastry Farm Ice Cream is based on Taylor's extensive Holstein-Friesian dairy farm at Kircubbin in county Down. The farm has Red Tractor accreditation.

The small company has won a string of quality awards from organisations including the UK Great Taste Awards.The small company has also won endorsement from Georgina Campbell's Ireland, the island's leading independent hospitality.

The critically acclaimed guide, established by top food and hospitality writer Georgina Campbell, lists the best accommodation and food products on the island of Ireland.

Formed in 2007, Glastry supplies retail and foodservice customers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The products, all handcrafted, do not includeartificial additives, stabilisers or other artificial ingredients, thereby assuring customers of the wholesomeness of the ice cream and sorbets.

The range currently features 20 ice creams and four low-fat sorbets. Other ice-cream flavours include Rhubarb and Custard, Heavenly Chocolate and Berry Blueberry.

Pic Caption:Showing the new Glastry Farm Ling Honey Ice Cream, left, Chris Mawhinney, executive head chef and Michael Young, executive sous chef, at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast, with Will Taylor, managing director, Glastry Farm Ice Cream