I would suggest that the humble Apple is the National Fruit of England; the Bramley and the Cox being the two main favourites.
Where would we be without Apple pie, Apple turnovers, Apple sauce, or even baked Apples?
Pears and Plums come a close second in the popularity stakes, but, also as a very big Cider drinking country, it has to be the Apple at No 1.
One of the first things I did with both our own house, and the barn, was to plant fruit trees; mostly Apples. There is nothing nicer than walking through an orchard at the bottom of the garden, with the trees full of fruit.
Back in the UK, at my people's home in Shropshire, they had a 44 tree orchard; mostly of very rare varieties. Sadly, the plonker I sold the house to had racehorses and a helicopter, and the first thing he did was to pull the whole bloody lot out!!!! I wouldn't have sold to him had I known his intentions.
Lady Magnon is a World Champion Tarte Tatin maker (well she would be if they held a competition), so the growing, preserving, and eating of Apples is quite important to us. We have 6 Apple trees, all of different varieties; from the tastiest to the bland. All have their uses, and I wouldn't wish to be without any single of them.
That's a real pity about your old orchard. Just the sight of all those established trees would be a joy for the majority.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you plant trees for the grandchildren and enjoy their fruits.
Lady M rocks with her cooking. Tarte tatin with your own apples cooked by the mistress of tart makers. Lucky you
Hmm re reading that, I see the last bit could be construed in many ways.
DeleteThe mistress of tart...making.
A master tart maker but not a mistress of makers
My people's orchard had very old lead label names on the trees, many of which I couldn't find anywhere. Such a shame to see them all ripped out.
DeleteThe chap who has just bought our old house is apparently planning to dig up our veg plot, knock down the greenhouse and put in decking, a hot tub and a massive kiddies' trampoline. No idea if he will keep all the old fruit trees. I don't think I want to drive past there any more,.
ReplyDeleteIs he planning on keeping the house? I can understand 'townies' not wanting to dirty their hands by digging in a veg' patch, but I do hope he keeps the fruit trees.
DeleteYou left out apple strudel. Yum and it is worth visiting Vienna to have the best. I rarely eat apples as it is so difficult to get good ones and I don't know why. Too hard. Too sour. Bland. I would miss plums and pears more.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, greetings from an apple aficionado. If you find it that hard to come by a good apple you aren't looking hard enough. I don't think a day in my life has gone by (ever since my first teeth appeared) that I haven't eaten at least one apple (raw). The only one I'd say is questionable is the Granny Smith. The best that can said about that particular one is that it's so hard it sure does keep your gums in shape. And the crunch reverberating in your ears is a noise to behold.
DeleteU
You will probably not be able to buy the best Apples in your regular supermarket, because of shelf-life, looks, etc. Go to a Farmer's Market, and try a selection, and don't go by the look of them.
DeleteUrsula, I've had famous apples from my nephew's mother in law's orchard but they left me cold. Granny Smiths are good for apple pies.
DeleteI've tried that Cro. Rock hard, bitter and sour.
Yes, the loss of the orchard is not only a shame; in my book it's a crime. However, scant comfort, the moment we hand over something, be it a sale or a present, what the new owner/recipient does with it is up to them. Best not to think about it.
ReplyDeleteU
I was furious at the time, then a couple of years later he died and his wife sold the house. All those trees were destroyed for nothing.
DeleteFruit trees in the garden are truly a wonderful thing. And the idea of planting a tree for each grandchild is great.
ReplyDeleteI think we appreciate the trees more than the grandsons do, but I always send them photos of their fruit.
DeleteYou should see what they did to my mother in law's house! Buyer said "we're buying it for our daughter who is about to return from Australia." Like hell. He was a builder. Off came the roof and back wall, up went the new walls half way down the garden, on slapped the front rendering, over the front garden went the parking spaces, what an ugly thing it is now.
ReplyDeleteYou rarely see an English variety in the shops here Cro - it is awful. When I was a child we had a Damson tree, a Cox, an Ellison, a Duke of Kent and a Bramley in our garden.
ReplyDeleteWeaver, judging by what you say there is clearly a difference between shops in the North and the South of England. Down here (South Coast) even supermarkets (M&S and Waitrose most certainly, and others) offer amazing varieties of apples; admittedly, at a price.
DeleteSince you mention Bramleys: Love them. Large, unassuming, plain. A cooking not an eating apple. In the pan they melt to perfection. But then I do come from the land of Apfelmus.
U
In Shropshire all the hedges were lined with Damson trees, the owners traditionally used them to pay their 'rates'. I do have a Bramley and a very small Cox here, all other Apples are 'foreign'.
DeleteOh lord the land of apfelmus
DeleteIt's only Apple Purée.
DeleteApples aren’t top of my fruit list but I would never say no to a piece of Lady M’s tarte tatin ! XXXX
ReplyDeleteHers really are the best I've ever tasted!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIf it's made in Paris, it probably uses 'Golden Delicious' Apples, which are no comparison to a Bramley. The flavour is on another level.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteMay I suggest that when you are next chez Stohrer, you tell them about Bramleys. Their Tartes Tatin would then certainly be amongst the best. We do have a Reine de Reinettes here, but we think of it as an 'Eating Apple'; not one to cook with.
DeleteLidl, Burgos (Spain) 1kg Apple Golden 1.4 €
ReplyDeleteThey can keep them! Possibly the world's least interesting Apple.
DeleteI envy you your apple trees! I've never seen some of the varieties you mention over here (like Cox) and all we usually have access to are grocery store apples that generally disappoint. Some apples grown in the North Carolina mountains can be found at the farmer's market but they're usually pretty standard varieties. Fuji, Granny Smith, Gold and Red Delicious (the blandest of the bland) and maybe some Rome. It's far too hot to grow good apples on South Carolina, which is a shame. I do have high hopes for my fig tree, and peaches do very well here. I guess that's some consolation! Pity about the people you sold to destroying the orchard. I would be livid!
ReplyDeleteMy (American) Jonagold is totally covered in fruit. It looks as if it'll be our most productive tree. The Apples are HUGE, and very good.
DeleteI miss the apple trees in the cottages old garden
ReplyDeleteThe house that replaced them is almost finished
A cottage without an Apple tree or two, is a sadder place.
DeleteYou can't beat a nice apple. I always take one with me when out walking.
ReplyDeleteMy late father was a 'mountain climber/walker'. Once, when with his walking companion in Switzerland, they were climbing a glacier and decided to stop for a snack. My father's friend had an Apple, and when he bit into it, it broke his dentures; it was frozen solid.
DeleteApple trees are great trees. Your orchard sounds lovely and very productive. I've never had an apple desert I did not like.
ReplyDeleteI think I could say the same, but I've certainly had Apples I didn't like.
Delete