Posted: Fri Aug 19, 05 1:47 pm Post subject: English Apples
Well the season has started, albeit with one of my least favourite apples; Discovery is in the shops now, Worcester's should be following along pretty soon (a little better)
twoscoops
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 1924 Location: Warwickshire
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 05 1:53 pm Post subject:
Where would you go to buy them?
I think I'm right in saying that a 2002 survey found that during the peak of the English apple season only 37% of apples on the shelves of British supermarkets were grown in this country. It appears that supermarket buyers just can't be bothered with dealing with British growers, who produce tiny crops compared to thier international competitors.
Well our local greengrocer had Discovery in stock last Saturday, the farm shop that Nettie and I use ( www.eapples.co.uk ) probably has a few other varieties too but haven't had a chance to check.
Waitrose had worcester's last year as did Sainsbury
In the back of Kitchen Garden mag they have listed apple days, we went to one at Berrington hall a couple of years ago and found it very interesting.
https://www.commonground.org.uk/appleday.html
Keep your eyes open for wildling apples, it's a common tree to find on any bit of ground that's been left alone for a while. I've got a preserving pan full of them bubbling away for jellly right now, and I'm pickng bits of core from between my teeth as I type.
judith
Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 22789 Location: Montgomeryshire
Posted: Sat Aug 20, 05 2:05 pm Post subject:
Well I managed to forage a couple of pounds of English Discovery at the greengrocer
There are several crab apples I have my beady eye on at the moment, but I haven't found any wild eating apple trees yet.
Guest
Posted: Sat Aug 20, 05 3:26 pm Post subject:
One of the best English apples is an early one called Devonshire Quarrenden - just about ready now, and I'm about to pick in my garden. Lovely flavour, pink under the skin, but to eat fresh as it does not store.
Jonnyboy
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 23956 Location: under some rain.
Posted: Sat Aug 20, 05 6:31 pm Post subject:
I have four very wild apple trees near a derelict farmhouse near me, they won't be ripe for another few weeks or so, and are quite sharp. But they are local and their free!
On the subject of greengrocers, mine had local plums, damsons and tomatoes on display yesterday, they mark all their local produce with a florescent orange card to differentiate from the foerign stuff, I had to go in, spend �15 quid and congratulate them.