Latest Feature Articles
- Book Notes: Damsons, by Sarah Conrad Gothie
A short but hugely informative book packed with juicy recipes and damson facts; a must-read for any damson fan. - How Do You Like Them (‘Howgate Wonder’) Apples?These two rather Wonderous apples were harvested this week from the stepover tree on our allotment plot.
- The 2021 Ordsall Hall Medlar Forecast is: ‘Very Good’One of the most reliable fruits in the heritage orchard has a very long history and a very unique flavour.
- Apple I.D. Practice – Four Mystery Varieties to IdentifyIn which I attempt to identify four unknown apple varieties – second opinions are very welcome!
- How To: Check For a Maggot in Your AppleA quick guide to spotting an unwanted lodger in that ripe, perfect-looking piece of fruit, *before* you bite into it…
- Identifying a Mystery Apple Tree on Plot #79In which I apply a three-step apple i.d. process to see if I can find a match for these not-as-labelled apples.
Click for more long-read feature articles
All Articles and Updates
- The Science of Cooking, on Making ‘Apple Porridge’Here’s a courtly recipe from sixteenth century Transylvania; an apple porridge fit for a Prince.
- A Book of Simples, on Making ‘Quince Cakes’Here’s an intriguing pair of eighteenth century receipts for quince ‘cakes’ of the boiled, jellied gum-drop variety.
- More Pest Problems: Pigeon-Pecked PearsWhat’s an orchardist to do? It’s been a lean year for pears, not helped at all by the pointy beaks of the local wildlife.
- Book Notes: Damsons, by Sarah Conrad GothieA short but hugely informative book packed with juicy recipes and damson facts; a must-read for any damson fan.
- Mary Jewry, on Making ‘Apple Dumplings’, Two WaysHow do you like your apple dumplings? Here are the simple-to-follow recipes for two Victorian-era options.
- Leonard Mascall, on Cleanliness in Sixteenth Century Cyder-Making“Keepe cleane your vessels, and the places wheras your fruite doth lye” are wise words to make cyder by in any century.
- Tasting History Makes a C16th Apple and Cheese TartPlus a potted history of the apple pie, from the fourteenth century to its ‘As American As…’ heyday.
- How Do You Like Them (‘Howgate Wonder’) Apples?These two rather Wonderous apples were harvested this week from the stepover tree on our allotment plot.
- The 2021 Ordsall Hall Medlar Forecast is: ‘Very Good’One of the most reliable fruits in the heritage orchard has a very long history and a very unique flavour.
Click for the full content archive
Join My Email Update List
To receive semi-regular updates when new content is posted, please visit the email list sign-up page and fill in the form.