Going Bananas For New Icecream Flavour

A Welsh ice cream maker has created a brand new flavour using bananas that are actually grown in Wales. Llandeilo-based artisan icecream makers Heavenly are behind the first icecream to be made from Welsh bananas.

The fruit – usually flown halfway around the world - is produced at the historic Aberglasney Gardens near Llandeilo in West Wales.

Aberglasney planted a banana tree in the summer of 2005 in its Ninfarium -a unique type of tropical garden that has been built into the ruins of an annex of the old mansion covered with a glass roof.

The Ninfarium, the idea of Aberglasney director Graham Rankin, also houses exotic magnolias, orchids and palm trees in its specially created climate.

Mr Rankin said, “I couldn’t think of a better use for the bananas than to give them to Heavenly to make some of their delicious ice cream.

“I think it is wonderful to be able to support local businesses, and to have an ice cream branded with Aberglasney’s name.

“Although commonly referred to as banana ‘trees’ they are in fact an herbaceous ‘plant’, which dies down after fruiting and then develops a secondary stem adjacent to the first one for the next crop.

“Unlike shop-bought bananas, these were much smaller in size, being only about five inches long. But their flavour is much more intense.

“We had a crop of 25 bananas and they ripened in April.”

The name Ninfarium comes from the Gardens of Ninfa, just outside Rome, where the inspiration for the Ninfarium garden design came from.

It is not the first time Aberglasney and Heavenly have joined forces. Last year Heavenly made two new flavours of icecream, first from lavender and then from oranges grown in Aberglasney’s ancient gardens.

Heavenly’s owners, Paul and Tracey Kindred say their Aberglasney Cloister Oranges Ice Cream and Aberglasney Organic Lavender Ice Cream have proved popular and are hoping their Aberglasney Banana Ice Cream will also be a big hit.

Mrs Kindred said, “We are committed to using local produce – all our milk and cream is organic and sourced locally.

“We are thrilled to be able to work in close partnership with Aberglasney and to have the opportunity to use locally grown bananas in such a distinctive way in our ice cream.

“We hope that Aberglasney can continue to produce bananas for us to use in future – it is much better for the environment to use locally grown fruit than to fly it thousands of miles around the world.

“The ice cream will be available for sale in our Heavenly Ice Cream Shop in Llandeilo, but supplies are limited so get there fast if you want to taste real Welsh banana ice cream.”

Since opening in May 2005, ‘Heavenly’ - which also offers customers a wide range of delicious pastries, sweets and chocolates - has rapidly built a reputation for its artisan ice cream. It now produces 200 flavours, including tiramisu with marsala and pimms sorbet also making basil and lime icecream.

They have their own icecream laboratory where they promise they can make any flavour icecream with 48 hours notice. In 2006 they won a True Taste Wales Gold Award for "Best Small Dairy Manufacturer".

The entire 10 kilo orange crop produced at Aberglasney was prepared for ice cream almost as soon as they were picked last year.

The oranges grow within the Elizabethan Cloister Garden in West Wales. The high stone walls shelter the plants from the wind and also help retain heat overnight. During the worst of the winter weather the orange trees are kept in an unheated glasshouse.

And lavender is now being grown at Aberglasney especially for icecream production at Heavenly.

Heavenly is already planning its next icecream flavours – Strawberry made with fresh strawberries grown at nearby Talley, and Strawberry Ripple – from locally made jam made with Talley strawberries.