HAGGIS ICE CREAM AND NEEPS SORBET TO DEBUT AT GALLOWAY COUNTRY FAIR 2015

A Castle Douglas dairy farm will unveil a new dessert with a real Scottish flavour this month – HAGGIS ice cream and ‘NEEPS’ sorbet.

The distinctive frozen treats – which are served with an oatcake instead of the traditional wafer – will make their debut at this year’s Galloway Country Fair at Drumlanrig Castle, on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August.

The special flavours have been created by Glen Urr to mark the Year of Food and Drink, with August’s theme being ‘Delicious Dairy’.

Glen Urr makes a variety of ice cream using milk and cream from its award-winning herd of Ayrshire Cows at Halmyre Farm in Haugh of Urr, Castle Douglas, as well as making fresh fruit sorbets.

Company owner Jane Davidson explained the inspiration behind the new creations, which use real ingredients rather than synthetic flavourings, including haggis sourced locally from Grierson Brothers Family Butchers.

Jane said: “I like a challenge and have made unusual flavours before, but these are definitely the most adventurous.

“The Year of Food and Drink puts a focus on dairy in August, so our attendance at the Galloway Country Fair provides a great opportunity to celebrate this with an unmistakably Scottish ice cream and complementing sorbet.

“I used top quality haggis for the ice cream and worked closely with local chef Tom Kirkpatrick to get the consistency of the neeps sorbet just right – unlike most sorbets this recipe incorporates a little bit of cream which fits nicely with the dairy theme.

“What we’ve ended up with is an interesting fusion of sweet and savoury, and serving them with an oatcake is the perfect finishing touch. My husband and my son were amongst my ‘taste testers’ and both were pleasantly surprised – they said it was very unusual to be eating haggis cold…but they still ate the lot!”

Glen Urr features on the recently-announced ‘Ice Cream Trail’, a map created by VisitScotland showcasing top ice cream manufacturers and sellers across the country. This is not the first time the company has created interesting and unusual flavours – other creations include malt whisky ice cream as well as quirky, limited-edition flavours including beer, black pepper, curry and goat’s cheese.

Joining Glen Urr at the Galloway Country Fair – which has been given funding support by VisitScotland’s Events Directorate to support the Year of Food and Drink – will be an array of culinary traders expected to prove popular with food fanatics.

This year’s Fair will boast its largest ever Food Marquee featuring locally sourced Scottish produce, as well as fresh foods from the rest of the UK. Visitors will find traditional Scottish tablet, jams, meats, oatcakes, wines, ciders and much more available to buy and try.

Food demonstrations throughout the weekend will be delivered by Cook School Scotland and a Great British Bake Off-style home baking competition also takes place throughout the weekend including a decorative cupcake competition for under-16s. A bar provided by Panoptic Events will also offer Scottish craft beer and ciders including Jaw Brew and Thistly Cross Cider to complement the produce on offer.

Anna Fergusson, Visitor Services Centre Manager at Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate, said: “We are excited to welcome such a vast array of quality traders and we’re delighted to see Glen Urr launching its fabulously unusual new ice cream at what is sure to be an unforgettable weekend for foodies!

“There will be a wealth of fresh, quality produce available so the Fair is the ideal opportunity to showcase how proud we are of our fellow Scottish suppliers.”

Paula McDonald, Regional Director for VisitScotland, said: “The Galloway Country Fair promises to be extra special this year due to its focus on Scottish food and drink and the extensive, diverse range of first-class producers and suppliers throughout our region.
“I hope that as many people will come along to the fantastic Drumlanrig Castle and Country Estate to try and buy some of the amazing culinary delights on offer – including the delicious dairy produce – and enjoy a great day out. Events like this, throughout this Year of Food & Drink, give us an opportunity to highlight the fact that our country boasts some of the finest produce in the world and to promote our superb natural larder and quality products – not only to our visitors, but also to our local markets.
“Food and drink is Scotland’s fastest growing sector and the industry is incredibly important to Scottish tourism. Visitors are increasingly interested in provenance and want to buy locally-sourced food and drink. Research shows that visitors will pay up to 15 per cent more for traditional dishes and fresh local produce, so our regional larder has a massive role to play in growing our economy.”

The annual fair takes place on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August, from 9am-6pm.Tickets are priced at £12 for adults, £5 for ages 5-16, £10 for concessions and £30 for a family pass. Under-fives go free.

A special three night camping offer is also in place for 2015 for visitors who want to stay on site and enjoy a whole weekend’s worth of entertainment.

Tickets are available to purchase at www.gallowaycountryfair.co.uk. Visit the website for further information and to keep up to date with the latest news.

To find out more about Glen Urr visit www.glenurr.co.uk