 Hazel Hartle, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Purbeck Ice Cream Ltd.
From her idyllic farm in the heart of Dorset, Hazel Hartle and her husband Peter produce award-winning ice-cream in unique flavours that include Chilli, Green Tea, Liquorice and British Damson.
Twenty years ago, Hazel Hartle and her husband Peter ran a sixty Fresian herd dairy farm on 126 acres of hillside opposite the historic remains of Corfe Castle in Dorset. With the introduction of milk quota's they found it increasingly difficult to maintain the farm as a viable enterprise and had to immediately find something that they could do with their milk that didn't result in penalties for over production.
As ice-cream adulators it seemed a natural progression to make their own ice cream. They were adamant from the start that the ice cream should be utterly natural with no artificial additives and most certainly no colours. They converted a building next to the dairy, with Peter milking and skimming some of the milk for double cream and Hazel batching up small tubs of Purbeck Ice Cream.
They have since turned the business from a necessity into a nationally recognised top producer of farm-made, real dairy ice cream. Their award-winning flavours include Honeycombe Hash, Clotted Cream and Chilli RED, which became the founding member of their Spice Rack range. Other ranges include Purbeck Sorbets, made with local fresh spring water and natural fruit juices, scoopable at -18 degrees; and Dorset Flavours, made with ingredients found on their doorstep. The latest flavours include: British Damson, Piddle Sorbet (in conjunction with local Piddle Brewery), Stem Ginger, Serious White Chocolate and the award winning Berries & Clotted Cream.
- Why do you do what you do?
Quite simply, it's just the most fun thing to do. We make the best and most natural ice cream from our own Purbeck milk with no artificial anything - oh, and it tastes just fabulous too.
- What achievement are you most proud of?
Well, Peter and I are still happily together after 25 years, we have three fabulous sons and our ice cream team are all as mad and happy as we are so all those put together make me feel incredibly proud and lucky.
- What is your most memorable moment?
There are so many, perhaps making the first batch of Purbeck Ice Cream when Peter and I flipped a coin to see who would stay at the farm with the boys aged 0, 1 and 2 and who would go off in our small van with a mini-freezer to sell our very first Blackberry tubs. I won and sold the first 10 to the fuel station, I had gone to fill up.
- If you were Prime Minister what would you do to encourage more people to eat British?
Impose colossal taxes on foreign imports, put a Union Jack flag on everything that is genuinely British and fill anyone buying non-British food with GUILT!
- Favourite food and why?
It has to be Purbeck Ice Cream Clotted Cream....or Honeycombe Hash, mmmm Cappuccino is delicious and our Cracked Black Pepper with strawberries and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar is superb too. Difficult one.
- What are your predictions for the future of British food?
More British consumers looking for and eating more British food. If enough of us do that then it will make a huge difference, it just needs actions rather than words alone.
- If you were an advertising executive what slogan would you use to promote British food?
Buy British Everyday...don't just say it but do it, prove it and make others do so too.
- Credit crunch tip?
Grow all your own fruit and vegetables - cook the cow, as it were.
- What's on the menu this evening?
Lamb from my friend Kathryn who rears her own, known as Purbeck Products, mint and rocket from the garden followed by you've guessed it... Purbeck Ice Cream washed down with Piddle Beer from the Dorset Piddle Brewery.
- How can people get hold of your produce
Demand it from your local independent Food Shop or Deli or, for your nearest stockist email me. To see our full range look at our website: purbeckicecream.co.uk |
