Bite - De Valleihoeve

When my partner and I visit their beautifully renovated 18th-century farmhouse one sun-drenched Sunday afternoon, there’s not a single seat left on the shady terrace. So instead, we plop ourselves down in the grass, among countless rows of bicycles, to sit a spell before heading inside to see what’s on offer.

Today’s specialties are platte kaastaart (cheesecake) with strawberries and tiramisu cake, and we see plenty of people enjoying both of these with a cup of coffee. But it’s the case filled with ice cream in all kinds of colours and flavours that I’m most interested in: vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, speculoos, stracciatella, mocha, rum with raisins, forest berry and lemon sorbet.

My partner takes a scoop of lemon sorbet, while I opt for the more classic chocolate. They are completely different yet both manage to be divine. My thick and creamy chocolate ice cream has a very natural flavour, not overly sweet and a wonderful texture. But I have to admit that the light and tangy, almost icy, lemon sorbet is really refreshing on this hot day.

It’s apparently not too warm for a group of local teenagers, who are playing a round of “farmers golf ” in the adjoining field. Modelled after traditional golf, the originally Dutch game is more family-friendly as it involves trying to get a football-sized ball into a series of 10 holes using a large wooden club.

De Valleihoeve organises Farmers golf for groups, in addition to renting out retro scooters for joy rides through the Flemish Ardennes and providing information on the best local biking and walking trails.

When the weather is looking less favourable, there’s plenty of seating inside the recently renovated coach house to have a drink and a bite to eat. All year round, De Valleihoeve sells milk, cheesecake and made-to-order ice cream cakes and yule logs for special occasions. There’s also a constant supply of potatoes and even Jonagold apple wine.

On a seasonal basis (see their website for more specifics), you can also buy strawberry jam, onions, witloof, cabbage, leeks, celeriac and freshly laid free-range eggs.

You don’t necessarily need to come to Zingem to enjoy farm-fresh ice cream: Flanders is teeming with similar establishments. And thanks to the Flemish government’s new strategic action plan to support organic agriculture through the Flemish Information Centre for Agri- and Horticulture (Vilt), a community called the Veldverkenners has bundled many of them into a handy, province-specific list, which you can find at www.veldverkenners.be/tip-waar-naartoe-voor-hoeve- ijs.

www.valleihoeve.be

Rooigemstraat 15, Zingem; 09.383.63.43
Mon-Wed 14.00-19.00, Sat-Sun 10.00-21.00 (hours change in the autumn)
Charming old farmstead in the Flemish Ardennes serving up homemade ice cream and other desserts