Northumberland Holiday Guide 2009
Dessert: Selection of Northumberland ice creams
Much of Northumberland is high moorland, best suited to sheep, but the lowlands and coastal plains grow
rich grass to fatten exceptional beef cattle and provide creamy milk for the county’s small farm dairies.
Near Hexham, Wheelbirks Farm’s pedigree Jersey herd produces superb milk for a range of ice creams
that includes both traditional flavours and the more exotic garlic & balsamic vinegar and amaretto varieties.
Similarly, Doddington’s Dairy near Wooler produces Newcastle Brown Ale and Alnwick Rum ice creams,
the more familiar strawberry and vanilla flavours, and a new flower range flavoured with rose, saffron,
orchid and heather honey. Last but not least, Morwick Dairy at Warkworth produces the Royal Double
range of luxury farmhouse ices and ice creams which come in 34 different flavours.
Cheese Course: Selection of Northumberland cow, ewe and goats milk cheeses
served with Berwick Edge savoury biscuits
Besides ice cream, Northumberland milk is used in handmade cheeses. The county’s artisan cheese
makers produce a range of hard and soft cheese from a variety of different milks and in a variety of different
styles. Choose from the Northumbrian Cheese Company’s Chevington (cows), Redesdale (ewe) Elsdon
(goat) or Cuddy’s Cave, Baltic, and Admiral Collingwood cheeses from Doddington’s Dairy. Naturally all
Northumberland cheese should be eaten with locally baked Berwick Edge cheese biscuits.
Coffee & Tea: served with handmade Cabosse Chocolates
Global warming has yet to produce a climate suitable for growing tea or coffee north of the 55
th
Parallel,
but Earl Grey, one of the world’s most famous tea blends, was named in honour of the Northumberland
born Earl who steered the Great Reform Bill through parliament in 1832 and there are two splendid tea and
coffee merchants in the region. Ringtons is a tea merchant who also supply coffee, whilst Pumphrey’s is a
coffee merchant who also supply tea but, this subtle distinction aside, both family-run firms provide a range
of gourmet beverages to delight discerning tea drinkers and coffee connoisseurs. Similarly the raw cocoa
for Cabosse Chocolates has to be imported but these chocolates are handmade in the Northumberland
village of Alnmouth by a classically trained Chocolatier, Louise Frederique Keeble.
To Drink: A selection of Northumbrian fruit wines,
beers, ales, spirits and liqueurs
Along with mead, the Lindisfarne Winery produces a range of fruit wines, whilst Lorbottle Farm makes
raspberry vodka to compliment its sloe gin. Also on Northumberland’s ‘carte du vin’ is Alnwick Rum, made
to an old family recipe that blends the best Jamaican and Guyana dark rums, whilst Coquet Whisky is
specially blended in Scotland to reflect the unique character of this Northumbrian valley - once famous
for its illicit stills! Northumberland may lack vineyards but the climate is perfect for growing barley – the
principle ingredient of beer. There are a growing number of micro-breweries in the county including
Allendale, Hexhamshire, High House Farm, Northumberland, The Ship Inn and Wylam breweries making
every conceivable type of beer from heavy stouts to light continental style lagers - with the complete range
of English ales in between.
For more information about the hundreds of independent food suppliers in the county (including those
above) visit www.made-in-northumberland.co.uk and www.northumbria-larder.co.uk where there are
details of farmers’ markets, farm shops, delis, butchers, bakers, game merchants, online shops, recipes
and lots more ideas for your own uniquely Northumbrian menu.
Asparagus, Peter Atkinson
Cheviot Sheep, Gail Johnson Strawberries, Peter Atkinson
10 www.visitnorthumberland.com
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