As summer begins to draw to a close, it’s time to welcome the sweet delights of the autumnal harvests. A ripe month for lush fruit and veggies, September brings a harvest of juicy plums, wild blackberries, succulent pears and not to forget the age old fruity favourite – the traditional British apple!
The apple has an impressive history; no fruit has featured so prominently in religion, myth, folklore and literature. Over time it has simultaneously symbolised pleasure, luxury, love, fertility and jealousy. Whether Adam and Eve, Greek and Roman Mythology, Newton’s theory of revolution or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the apple has played a lead role. Apples actually originated more than 4000 years ago but it was only when the Romans conquered England that apple cultivation reached the shores of Britain.
There are about 7500 apple varieties worldwide, over a thousand of which exist in the UK. However only about 12 global varieties are commonly sold in UK supermarkets, of which many are still imported at the sacrifice of regional British varieties.
There are still growers and orchards producing the fine old apple varieties which come into their own in autumn. They say you can eat a different English apple every day for more than six years! Drove Orchards at Hunstanton in Norfolk (T: 01485 525652) grow over 20 varieties of apple from their coastal orchard site including Discovery, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Egremont Russett and D’Arcy Spice.
High House Fruit Farm near Woodbridge in Suffolk have been producing high quality fruit since 1959, apple varieties include Cox, Russet, James Grieve, Worcester and the Bramley. The Bramley apple is the most popular variety of cooking apple with a historical association to Wisbech in the Cambridgeshire Fens. It accounts for nearly all cooking apples sold in the UK, only 78% of shoppers recognise the Bramley as being British, whilst nearly 60% think the Granny Smith is, which is most definitely not!
There are many other forms in which we can consume apples. Premium juice with the distinct flavour of English apples is altered as little as possible after the apples have been pressed. Stoke Farm Orchards at Stowmarket, Suffolk (T: 01449 774944) produce award winning juices from fruit grown on the family farm from “blossom to bottle”, as do High House.
Some varieties of apple, usually with higher acid and tannin contents than dessert apples, are grown especially for cider production. The fermentation of apple juice to produce an alcoholic beverage dates back at least 2000 years. Located on the tranquil North Norfolk coast, Whin Hill Cider is a small company producing cider, perry and apple juice by traditional methods from fruit grown in their orchard at Stanhoe.
Britain has lost almost two thirds of it orchards since 1970. So to show your support of the apple and the thousands of varieties that exist in this country, always ‘Buy British’ and don’t forget to celebrate National Apple Day on the 21st October 2008! Visit our website for more information on the apple producers in our region.
Julie West is Tastes of Anglia’s Chief Executive, the region’s food promotion group.
T: 01473 785883
