Our fruit season is almost over. There are still Figs and Quinces, but there would be, wouldn't there!
Time to reflect on quality. The Conference Pears were superb, but we had very few. The Reinette Apples were abundant, but they're no comparison to a Cox. The Jonagolds were both good and productive, but they are HUGE.
Without question our best eating Apple (I know they're known for cooking) was the Bramley. The red one in the foreground of the photo, above, is a Bramley. They are crisp, very tasty, and sweetish; what more could one want.
I have other trees which should start to produce next year (Melrose and Gala) so it remains to be seen if they can compare to the Bramley; somehow I doubt it.
I was given a bag of quinces yesterday. Once again, what to do with the darn things. Compost probably.
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky to still be getting figs. Ours are long gone.
Lizards and dinasaurs. Don't young boys just love them!
Our Figs are hanging on, still plenty of ripening ones. As for those pesky Quinces; we have hundreds.
DeleteMake 'apple' sauce with them. It's hard work but worth it. Quince sauce and wild boar. Also very good with cheese, like membrillo.
DeleteIf you are going to compost them, leave them around the house so that they can perfume the room with their lovely scent. It is the smell of Elizabethan England.
DeleteI've always heard this thing about leaving bowls of Quinces around the house to perfume, but have never found that they do so. Maybe I have the wrong variety.
DeleteMaybe you have the wrong nose.
DeleteVery few apples on our trees here after a bumper crop when we arrived last year. Enough for apple crumble last night though.
ReplyDeleteAs usual we have far too many, but the quality isn't there. Too many 'bland' French varieties.
DeleteAppetizing fruit plate, here is no fruit on the trees, unless olives are considered fruit.
ReplyDeleteI have no Olives this year, but I wasn't really expecting any.
DeleteWe have had a good crop of apples this year, the Andrew Johnson which are very crisp and delicious. Our pears are still like hand grenades.
ReplyDeleteI have two different Pears. The 'Conference' ripen on the tree (they turn yellow), and the Doyenne du Comice have to be picked about now, and left to ripen for about 2 weeks. You can see why I far prefer the Conference Pears.
DeleteGala apples are popular here. They are quite good.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping mine will be good too. Usually 'homegrown' are better even than shop bought.
DeleteI haven’t been to the local apple orchard yet this year but when I do, I will mostly pick the galas.
ReplyDeleteGala seem to be internationally grown. I hope mine will be good.
DeleteWe should be getting good "mountain" apples in the farmers markets now. That is, apples grown in the North Carolina mountains. It's too hot here to grow good apples.
ReplyDeleteI think it's too hot here too. OK for Pears, but Apples like a cooler climate.
DeleteI miss really good apples. Your dish of them is lovely.
ReplyDeleteMy Gud Dugs are chasing all the lizards and having such fun.
parsnip
We have so many this year that they are thick beneath the trees. The problem is that everyone is the same, so we can't even give them away. Our Billy just looks at the lizards (real ones) with indifference.
DeleteAre the boys tempted to play with your knife? The lizard is a corker!
ReplyDeleteThe older boys all have their own Opinel knives, but they are for eating with only. They never carry them with them. The two younger ones are still too small, but they'll have their own Opinels in time.
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