I recently tasted divine ice cream from Burke’s Farm made by Bernie Burke from the cream of her Jersey cows. This Christmas she has made mince-pie ice cream (“unbelievably good,” to quote Rachel Allen) and a plum pudding ice cream (“also fab,” according to Rachel!)

Bernie and John Burke are successful dairy farmers at Tara, supplying milk from their Fresian herd to Glanbia. About two years ago, Bernie came up with the idea of producing ice cream.

After a lot of thought, discussion and research of existing foreign well-known gourmet ice-cream brands, she thought, that with her green, green, grass in her big back (farm) garden, precious Jersey cows and some imaginative flavours, she could do every bit as good! And this is what Bernie has done. And possibly better.

She researched the market in England, travelling and exploring various ice cream parlours and how small producers make it work. Bernie intuitively took the next step and bought two Jersey cows and began experimenting with recipes and production methods.

Now with seven jersey cows happily grazing, a great staff of three happily milking and mixing under the watchful eye of ‘hands-on’ Bernie, the team have mastered a range of imaginatively and beautifully-flavoured, ‘creamy’ ice cream.

Whackey flavours include apple crumble, rhubarb and custard, clotted cream and strawberry, Belgian chocolate, mint and old favourites such as vanilla and chocolate. Beautifully creamy, beautifully Jersey.

But what makes Burkes Farm Ice cream so unique? The milk from the Jersey cow is what. The Jersey cow, once spoken of so affectionately and held in the highest regard for their milk ‘cream a la crème’ uniqueness, rarely even gets a mention nowadays.

In days gone by when our milkman delivered our milk in bottles, I remember the Jersey top was gold– that’s if you got there before the birds had beaked it for its cream! Even the birds knew their top-shelf milk.

I first stumbled upon Burke’s Farm Ice-cream, standing cool and proud beside the Haagen-Daas, Moovin Pic and other such well-known foreign producers. I was immediately intrigued by the label on the tub: ‘Burke’s Farm Ice Cream, Made with Rich Jersey Cows’ Milk’ and wait for it, ‘Made in Tara, County Meath, Ireland’!

I am delighted to see Burke’s competing with the likes other big ice cream names in the Irish market. Burke’s is Irish-made, start to finish (except for a little advice from a very good Italian friend) and is doing very, very well and so it should.

Bernie Burke’s Farm ice-cream has spread from the market venue of St. Anne’s Park, where Bernie first began selling, and since can be found in nearly all Supervalu shops in Meath and some farm shops etc.

It appears to be moving swiftly into the Dublin supermarkets and gourmet delis. Mortons of Ranelagh and Fresh at Grand Canal Quay stock it along with other upmarket stores. Burke’s Farm ice cream is appearing on menus in the likes of the new Marriott Hotel in Ashbourne, and the Salt House Cafe in Drogheda.

Burke’s Farm ice cream recently won the Gold award at the Blas na hÉireann Awards for the apple crumble flavour. Bernie Burke is highly spoken of in the Bridgestone ‘Irish Food Guide 07-08’ and she is actively involved in the food producers’ Artisans Group.

Meeting Bernie was a personal pleasure. I am inspired by her enthusiasm and passion, but with a no-nonsense, happy, laid back approach.

She kindly left me a tub of Clotted Cream Strawberry ice-cream, and though I started with a small saucer, like that of a cat, by the late night news, many little saucers were had!

Bernie has one little wish for the year ahead “I have a friend saying the rosary for sunshine this summer,” Bernie laughs. Amen to that.