PURBECK Ice Cream has scooped not one, but two more awards winning the most innovative watercress product as well as overall winner of the Watercress Food Awards 2014 at this year’s Watercress Festival!

The annual festival at Alresford is attended by people who are looking for quality and innovation in food – and in particular, the most wonderful watercress products!

Nicky Pretty, who was tirelessly scooping Purbeck Ice Cream at the festival, accepted the award on behalf of the Purbeck team saying: “I am delighted and extremely proud to accept this award for Dorset Watercress Ice Cream and am certain that the team will be thrilled. Dorset Watercress Ice Cream may sound like an odd combination but, oddly enough it tastes lovely on its’ own or served with smoked salmon and a crisp green salad.”

Peter Hartle, who founded Purbeck Ice Cream with his wife Hazel 26 years ago, had the idea to make Dorset Watercress Ice Cream while enjoying fresh watercress direct from the farm at Waddock Cross, near Dorchester.

The locally grown watercress seemed too good an opportunity to miss, using this wonderful Dorset ingredient, with the result that another award-winning, and very different, flavour was born.

With ChilliRED ice cream recognised as the innovative forerunner by Purbeck Ice Cream, the team continue to look for Dorset flavours that complement the naturalness of the ice cream. Dorset Blue Vinny ice cream, launched last year and made with the world-famous blue cheese, has also scooped a top prize, winning Gold for the coveted Casual Dining Challenge Innovation Award earlier in the year.

These awards recognise the superb foods made right here in Dorset. They add to the armoury of awards gained over 25 years and firmly fly the flag for Purbeck, putting Dorset firmly on the map for foods of excellence.