Huntley's Moo 2 You - Samlesbury, Near Preston Phone: 01772 877309 Website: www.huntleys.co.uk Available from their farm shop and other fine food retailers in the North West.

Dowsons Dairies - Clayton-le-Dale, Blackburn Phone: 01254 812407 Website: www.mrsdowsons.co.uk Available from outlets and restaurants across the region, call for further details.

Frederick's Ice Cream - Charnock, Near Chorley Phone: 01257 263154 Website:  www.fredericksicecream.co.uk

Ice cream evokes so many memories of childhood, something that was a real treat on a hot summer's day or even to be eaten when you were ill, because you couldn't manage anything else.

But in our house, we always had a small bowl after a big roast Sunday lunch. It was the perfect foil after a feast of hot juicy meat and gravy. The feel of it sliding across your tongue and hitting the back of your throat was invigorating and cooling at the same time, and cleared your palate.

In its simplest form ice cream is just flavoured and frozen cream, but it's depressing to realise that most of the major producers make something which contains no cream at all. If you look at the labels you'll see they're often non-dairy products that don't even contain milk. The fat, which is essential in making ice cream is from vegetable oil or even animal fat, and if there is milk, it is in powdered form.

When searching for the real thing, buy 'dairy ice cream', this guarantees that the fats are all dairy. The finest though, is made with whole milk and double cream, and sometimes with egg or egg yolk added. The North West produces some of the best examples with the lush grass in the region ideal for cows to produce premium milk.

Ice cream should have a smooth firm texture and a rich creamy, fresh, clean taste, and not be full of tiny tasteless icy particles, or be too sweet or eggy. Vanilla is by far the most popular variety, and it is here you can tell if it's really good, as it doesn't mask the quality of the ice cream itself. Of course there are flavoured ice creams too, using fruit, nuts or the finest chocolate, but these shouldn't over-power the cream taste.

Huntley's ice cream is the real thing; home made with the creamiest whole milk from their own cows. Eddie Cowpe and his family have been farming in Samlesbury for over 800 years, and recently built a 750 sq ft farm shop selling among other things, sixty flavours of fresh home made ice cream. They market this under the brand 'Moo 2 You', and have won many awards including being celebrated as one of Rick Stein's Food Heroes. Their best, without doubt, is pistachio flavour.

Other recommendations include Mrs Dowson's superb Blackcurrant and the new Sangria Sorbet made by Frederick's Ice Cream.