ENGLAND


Buckinghamshire Cornwall Cumbria Derbyshire Greater London Greater Manchester Hertfordshire Lincolnshire Yorkshire


BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Milton Keynes
BB’S CAFÉ (Sandwich Bar / Coffee Shop)

New Zealand Natural Ice Cream (English Toffee)

Overall Quality: Fair

Value For Money: Poor

Regular style, served in a cone/cornet (one scoop)

Texture: As it should be...

Taste: Bland

Other thoughts:

"Maybe the New Zealanders don't know what English toffee taste like, because this wasn't good. The 'base' ice cream was fairly bland, and the “toffee” was swirls of a toffee-flavoured sauce - no toffee pieces. The sauce was also bland. If I'd been blindfolded, I'd have had no idea what flavour it was! And it cost £1.40 for a single scoop! Summary: not worth going out of your way for."


Report filed by Ice-andra the Snow Queen (September 2001)



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Milton Keynes
TENNESSEE SECRET (Ice Cream Vendor)

Unidentifiable Brand of Ice Cream (Vanilla - all that was available! – with Dark Chocolate Vermicelli topping)

Overall Quality: Poor

Value For Money: Poor

Soft (‘Whippy’) style, served in a cone/cornet

Texture: Too Soft!

Taste: Tasteless

Other thoughts:

"This Ice Cream had no appreciable taste, was too soft, and only came in Vanilla! The cone was also soft - like it had been kept in a damp atmosphere. One topping was free; a second would add 20% to the price. All in all, this was not a good Ice Cream experience!"


Report filed by TrevorM (September 2001)







CORNWALL

Newquay
CORNWALL PEARL (Cafe in Pearl Factory Outlet)

Calley's Ice Cream? (Irish Baileys)

Overall Quality: Very Good

Value For Money: Quite Good

Regular style, served in a cone/cornet (two scoops)

Texture: As it should be…

Taste: Bland

Other thoughts:

"This was a nice, refreshing Ice Cream on a hot day. However, the Irish Baileys taste wasn't as pronounced as I would have hoped. Put it this way; if you didn't know what it was, you'd be hard-put-to to guess! The helping was quite generous, but the double-scoop in a waffle cone wasn't cheap."


Report filed by TrevorM (August 2002)



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St. Ives
COUNTY'S CORNISH ICE CREAM SHOP (Shop)

Own Brand Ice Cream (Tiramisu & Banoffee, with a wafer!)

Overall Quality: Superb!

Value For Money: Excellent

Regular style, served in an individual cup/tub (two scoops)

Texture: As it should be...

Taste: OK - as you'd expect!

Other thoughts:

"If the Tiramisu was excellent, the Banoffee was ABSOLUTELY SUPERB. Streaks of gooey toffee abound in this incredible Ice Cream. The texture was smooth - perhaps on the soft side of normal - but this was a quality product through and through. This flavour and this Ice Cream shop alone are worth the visit to St. Ives. I shall return...

PS. I did return, the following day, to check out the Banoffee by itself. And yes, it is soooperb!!!"


Report filed by TrevorM (August 2002)



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St. Ives
COUNTY'S CORNISH ICE CREAM SHOP (Shop)

Own Brand Ice Cream (Fruits Of The Forest)

Overall Quality: Excellent

Value For Money: Very Good

Regular style, served in a Cone/Cornet (one scoop)

Texture: As it should be... (slightly soft)

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"Excellent taste."


Report filed by Ice-andra the Snow Queen (August 2002)







CUMBRIA

Allonby
RITSONS (Café & Restaurant)

Movenpick (Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate)

Overall Quality: Superb!

Value For Money: Very Good

Regular style, served in a cone/cornet (one scoop)

Texture: As it should be…

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"This is heaven in the ice cream world and never have I ever tasted an ice cream like this luxury swiss"


Report filed by John (June 2010)



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Kendal
MR BUMBLE’S COFFEE SHOP (Cafe)

English Lakes Ice Cream (Thunder & Lightning)

Overall Quality: Excellent

Value For Money: Very Good

Regular style, served in a cone/cornet (one scoop)

Texture: As it should be…

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"A satisfactory helping at a good price (particularly for a "tourist" area in the UK). "Thunder & Lightning" is vanilla and chocolate with cinder toffee bits. The cinder toffee is crisp and gives an interesting dimension to the texture. Overall, a fine Ice Cream with good taste and appearance. Nice one, Mr Bumble!"


Report filed by TrevorM (September 2001)



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Keswick
JOHNSON’S (Fudge & Dairy Ice Cream Shop)

”Gourmet” Ice Cream but see “Other thoughts“ below (Coffee)

Overall Quality: Fair

Value For Money: Fair

Regular style, served in an individual cup/tub (one scoop)

Texture: Lumpy

Taste: Bland

Other thoughts:

"For a shop which has Ice Cream as one of its specialities, Johnson's offering was a little disappointing. The coffee flavour wasn't particularly strong; neither was the texture as smooth as it should have been. This Ice Cream is made on a farm at Hexham, near Carlisle (according to the server). However, it's probably sold around Cumbria under different names. "Gourmet" is Johnson's own designation. Sadly, not as good as expected. This should have been better..."


Report filed by TrevorM (September 2001)



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Keswick
THE FAMOUS PINK JOHNSON'S FUDGE & ICE CREAM SHOP(Fudge & Dairy Ice Cream Shop)

Farm Made Ice Cream (Toffee Nut Blast and a Super Sauce; Raspberry Sauce on the Super Sauce)

Overall Quality: Superb!

Value For Money: Quite Good

Regular and Soft-Scoop styles (see below), served in a Cone/Cornet (two scoops)

Texture: As it should be...

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"The Bright Pink Fudge Shop stands like a beacon in the centre of Keswick, a child's dream come true, it's sign surrounded by merry-go-round-type lights.

We went inside to be greeted by lights flashing along the shelves and a huge display of fudge and Ice Cream. My son tried a Super Sauce cone which is a soft Ice Cream with sauce piped by the machine along the edges like a barber's pole. I hade a regular Toffee Nut Blast, which had whole pieces of toffee and nuts as well as a really creamy toffee Ice Cream base. A 'regular' was two huge scoop's; more than enough for the most keen Ice Cream eater!

So, to finish my report, I say "GO TO KESWICK & HEAD FOR THE BRIGHT PINK JOHNSON'S FUDGE SHOP". You will love it!!!!!"


Report filed by The Ice Cream Team (July 2002)



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Keswick
LAKESIDE TEA GARDENS (Cafe)

Walls Carte D’Or Ice Cream (Caramel)

Overall Quality: Excellent

Value For Money: Very Good

Regular style, served in a dish (two scoops)

Texture: As it should be…

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"It's easy to knock big manufacturers like Walls, but this Carte D'Or really was excellent. The caramel taste was strong but not overpowering, the texture was smooth (the Ice Cream having obviously been stored at the right temperature), and the price was fair. I'd happily go back to the Lakeside Tea Rooms in Keswick to sample the rest of the range."


Report filed by TrevorM (September 2001)



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Whitehaven
THE PEKING PALACE (Chinese Restaurant)

Brake Bros. Ice Cream (Pistachio Kulfi, topped with nuts)

Overall Quality: Fair

Value For Money: Poor

Regular style, served in a pre-packed plastic container stood in a sundae dish

Texture: Rock Hard!

Taste: Bland

Other thoughts:

"This Ice Cream arrived straight from the freezer. It was rock hard - two spoons couldn't break into it. I sent it back. It was returned, slightly softer; one spoon could now break through (with effort). Once melted, the Ice Cream was creamy enough but bland. The helping was small, and the price restaurant-high. The Chinese meal itself was OK, but the only dessert on offer was Ice Cream. My advice is FORGET IT!"


Report filed by TrevorM (Month 2001)








DERBYSHIRE

Dronfield
FREDERICKS OF CHESTERFIELD (Ice Cream Vendor)

Own Brand of Ice Cream (Vanilla with a flake)

Overall Quality: Fair

Value For Money: Fair

Regular style, served in a cone/cornet (two scoops)

Texture: Lumpy

Taste: Bland


Report filed by Alan & Julie (September 2001)





GREATER LONDON

Brent Cross Shopping Centre
THORNTONS (“Chocolate Cabin”)

Own Brand of Ice Cream (Rum ‘n’ Raisin with *free* Choccie Stick)

Overall Quality: Excellent

Value For Money: Very Good

Regular style, served in a cone/cornet (one scoop)

Texture: As it should be…

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"A really fine-flavoured Ice Cream, and a good serving for a reasonable price. Limited range of only 10 flavours, but the Choccie Stick being included for free was a bonus! Napkins provided. I'll make a return visit..."


Report filed by TrevorM (September 2001)





GREATER MANCHESTER

Wythenshawe
CO-OP SUPERSTORE (Supermarket)

Granelli’s Cornish Dairy (Vanilla)

Overall Quality: Quite Good

Value For Money: Quite Good

Regular style, served in an individual cup/tub (More than three scoops!)

Texture: Rock Hard!

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!


Report filed by Von Astul (September 2001)





HERTFORDSHIRE

Codicote
VANSTONE PARK GARDEN CENTRE (Garden Centre café)

Unidentifiable Brand of Ice Cream (Chocolate, with chocolate sauce)

Overall Quality: Quite Good

Value For Money: Very Good

Regular style, served in a dish

Texture: As it should be...

Taste: Bland

Other thoughts:

"Tasty enough, but unremarkable - a run-of-the-mill, bog-standard dish of Choc Ice Cream. However, on a more positive note, this was an unexpectedly generous portion - which has to push up its Value For Money!"


Report filed by TrevorM (September 2001)



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Stevenage
SAINSBURYS (Supermarket)

Sainsburys ‘Indulgence’ Ice Cream (Raspberry Pavlova)

Overall Quality: Superb!

Value For Money: Very Good

Regular style, sold in a 500ml take-home tub

Texture: As it should be...

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"'OK' is not good enough! This ice cream is fantastic! The raspberry is real raspberry - not a sauce, and a very good flavour. Miraculously, the little meringue pieces stay crisp in the ice cream. The texture is hard when taken straight from the deep-freeze, but a spell in the fridge freezer makes it just right. Value for money is good when compared to other supermarket brands. Yummy!"


Report filed by Ice-andra the Snow Queen (September 2001)





LINCOLNSHIRE

Stamford
FRATELLI RISTORANTE (Restaurant)

Mövenpick Ice Cream (Stracciatella, Amaretti-Amaretto)

Overall Quality: Very Good

Value For Money: Fair

Regular style, served in a dessert dish (two scoops)

Texture: Lumpy

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"Stracciatella is basically Vanilla, with what is called "Rasped Chocolate". A bit chunky in texture, but tasted very good. The Amaretti had both good texture and flavour. Overpriced for what it was - as restaurants usually are…"


Report filed by TrevorM (September 2001)






YORKSHIRE

High Jervaulx near Masham
BRYMOR DAIRY (Ice Cream Parlour)

Own Brand of Ice Cream (Ginger, Liquorice)

Overall Quality: Superb!

Value For Money: Superb!

Regular style, served in an Individual Cup/Tub (three scoops)

Texture: As it should be…

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"This is better than Ben & Jerry quality, better than anything you can buy in a supermarket - best in Yorkshire – you can also get it at a place in Helmsley Market Square, but only a few flavours. For all 35 flavours, go to the dairy itself."


Report filed by deller (April 2003)



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..a few miles outside Masham on the road to the Dales
BRYMOR at High Jervaulx Farm (Ice Cream Parlour)

Own Brand of Ice Cream (Praline Pecan)

Overall Quality: Superb!

Value For Money: Excellent

Regular style, served in a cone/cornet (one scoop)

Texture: As it should be…

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"This was a smooth and utterly delicious Ice Cream with small pieces of praline and pecan nuts."


Report filed by Moggy (September 2001)



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..a few miles outside Masham on the road to the Dales
BRYMOR at High Jervaulx Farm (Ice Cream Parlour)

Own Brand of Ice Cream (Cinderella)

Overall Quality: Superb!

Value For Money: Excellent

Regular style, served in a cone/cornet (one scoop)

Texture: As it should be…

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"Definitely one for the connoisseur - a delicious ice cream with small pieces of cinder toffee to chew."


Report filed by Moggy (September 2001)



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Sheffield
TOBY INNS (Restaurant Chain)

Unknown Brand of Ice Cream (Vanilla with Chocolate topping)

Overall Quality: Superb!

Value For Money: Very Good

Soft (‘Whippy-style’), served in a dish

Texture: As it should be…

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!


Report filed by Julie (September 2001)



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Skipton
(SHOP) (Ice Cream Parlour)

Brymor Ice Cream (Almond Toffee, topped with Syrup)

Overall Quality: Superb!

Value For Money: Superb!

Regular style, served in a dish (two scoops)

Texture: As it should be!

Taste: OK - as you’d expect!

Other thoughts:

"Absolutely delicious packed full of lovely calories! Can't wait to have another dishful!"


Report filed by Mrs Blobby (September 2001)



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