A Delicious History of the Apple
The Apple: A Delicious History is the fascinating 10,000 year story of the world’s most tempting fruit (yet 70% of apples in England are imported, which is why it’s good to buy local apples to preserve our heritage orchards (also buy organic, to avoid the ‘waxy apples’ covered in shellac – dead insects).
This book takes us on a tour of apple’s prehistoric beginnings in the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan to the modern day.
You’ll learn how apples even featured on the shopping list of a senior Roman officer on Hadrian’s wall. The perfect gift for anyone enjoys a slice of apple pie or a drop of cider, get to know your apples (from Bramley to Cox).
In the early 1840s, a young Yorkshire vicar set about planting an orchard next to his new farmhouse. Around him the world was in turmoil. Ireland was in the throes of its great famine. Western Europe teetered on the cusp of violent revolution.
In setting out his orchard, our tree-planting vicar was investing in a happier future. Those fifteen or so tiny saplings would eventually transform into veteran trees which still every autumn, sit heavy with pounds of apples. That orchard and its farmhouse are now my home.
Apple chunks are choking hazards for babies and people with swallowing difficulties. Keep apple pips/seeds/cores away from pets due to natural cyanide.
Ask permission before feeding to equines, as too many cause colic. If given permission, feed cut up from a flat palm, to prevent choking).
Due to England’s mild climate, England’s apples are some of the best-tasting on earth, but not the ones sold in most supermarkets. They mostly spray apples with shellac (made from dead insects, to make them waxy) so always look for organic apples in farm shops, if you live nearby.
Which apples to use for what?
There are hundreds of varieties of English apples, so don’t just limit yourself to Cox, Braeburn and Granny Smith!
- Bramley apples are good for cooking, as they are too sour raw. Use in apple pies and crumbles, or to make apple sauce.
- Red Prince apples are sweet and tart, and smell a bit like roses!
- Evelina apples are crisp and sweet, with a little acidity.
- Cox was invented in Slough (Surrey) and a good balance of tart and sweet.
- Granny Smith is very tart, and good for making French tarte tatin.
- Comice pears are particularly good with vegan cheese.
The main types of apples that you’ll find in shops are:
- Royal Gala is the most popular. It has a crispy bite and is very sweet, with a stripy red skin.
- Russet apples are light brown with ‘cream freckles’ and are very sweet. These are quite similar to pears, and lovely with vegan cheese.
- Cox apples have good bite, and a honey aroma
- Bramley apples are green and tart, best for cooking.
- Braeburn are actually native to New Zealand, but now grow here widely.
Did you know that the Core Blimey apple was commissioned by the Orchard Project after a national competition? A local dessert apple, this is similar to a Cox apple but bred to be more disease-tolerant so is easier to grow organically.
If you grow apples, learn about pet-friendly gardens (many plants and mulches are unsafe near animal friends). And use nontoxic humane slug and snail deterrents.
Avoid netting and read tips for wildlife-friendly gardens. Also how to create safe havens for garden birds and stop birds flying into windows.
