Carlo Vagliasindi missed Italian ice cream so much when he moved to London that he decided to make it himself. He and his partner Bridget Hunt learnt the tricks of the trade in Italy before launching Gelateria Danieli (gelateriadanieli.com) in Richmond in 2005. With Bridget’s background as a nutritionist and the couple’s shared passion for quality, it’s not suprising that their products are all-natural, low-sugar and low-fat, and contain the finest ingredients. They even do dairy-free ice cream made from rice milk, and gluten-free rice cones.
The late Anthony Minghella was famous for directing movies such as The English Patient and The Talented Mr Ripley. His Italian parents, meanwhile, are famous for their natural ice creams made and sold on the Isle of Wight. Edward and Gloria Minghella set up Minghella Ice Cream (minghella.co.uk) in 1950 and are known for their unusual flavours, such as gunpowder tea, black pepper and chilli chocolate.
There’s a clue in the name as to why Shepherds Ice Cream (shepherdsicecream.co.uk) tastes so different. Juliet Noble and Martin Orbach, based in Hay-on-Wye, initially sold their sheep’s milk to cheese-makers before deciding it would make the perfect ice cream thanks to its unique fat structure. Flavours include ginger, coconut, cardamom and lavender, and mango and chilli.
For another twist on traditional ice cream, head to the Hive on the Quay at Aberaeron in South Wales (hiveonthequay.co.uk). Its Holgate’s Honey Ice Cream, sweetened with honey, has a unique taste and comes in inventive combinations such as melon and ginger, and gooseberry and elderflower.
Have a nice cup of tea and a sit-down in these elegant tea rooms.
