Checking Out a Local Seedling Apple, ‘Heys Pippin’
Sometimes a seedling apple tree produces fantastic fruit, sometimes not. What’s the verdict on this local-to-me pip-grown tree?
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Ray Blockley Makes May S. Metzler’s ‘Oatmeal Betty’
Here’s Ray’s modern take on a 1921 pudding recipe from the Date Cook Book. Looks absolutely delicious!
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Miss E. S. Kirkland’s 1899 Recipe for ‘Quince Marmalade’
Got quinces? Here’s a C19th recipe for turning them into a delicious marmalade.
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Gallery: Blueberry Foliage in Autumn
All the colours of autumn in one. What’s not to love about blueberry plants at this time of year?
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John Townshend’s 1773 Recipe for ‘Quince Pudding’
This C18th recipe for a custard-based quince dish turned out to be eerily familiar…
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May S. Metzler’s 1921 Recipe for ‘Oatmeal Betty’
This early C20th recipe is simple to the point of minimalism and should appeal to anyone who enjoys a bit of stodge on their pudding plate.
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Gallery: Allotment Apples, Early Autumn 2026 Edition
A quick stroll around the apple trees on my plot, to see which varieties of apple I can look forward to picking this Autumn.
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Elizabeth Raffald’s 1769 Recipe for ‘Raspberry Fritters’
This fried, donut-like dish sounds like a tasty way to make use of a raspberry glut, should you be lucky enough to have one.
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Anon, Field Magazine 1911, on Keeping Apples in Storage
This pre-refrigeration solution to the problem of medium-term fruit storage might be worth a look, if you have the resources to build it.
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The Orchard Notes Links Library has Gone Live
The long-promised list of fruity links is now available for readers to peruse at their leisure.
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Elizabeth Raffald’s 1769 Recipe for ‘Damson Dumplins’
In which a very tasty-sounding C18th damson pudding recipe leads to much dumplin-themed discussion.
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New Apple Tree Update – Summer 2026 Edition
A quick progress report on how my newly planted cordons and graftling apple trees have coped in this year’s harsh conditions.
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Vincent la Chapelle’s 1733 Recipe for ‘Apples the Portuguese Way’
Here’s another very tasty-sounding C18th baked apple recipe, made Portuguese with the inclusion of apricot marmelade.
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Excessive Codling Moth Damage – Reduced Harvests Ahead?
This year is shaping up to be a good one for the moth population, and potentially quite a bad one for orchardists.
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Benjamin Maund’s 1824 Recipe for ‘Bilberry Wine’
This C19th method is quite an elaborate interpretation of an original Italian wine, but the results could be interesting.
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Mary Hooker’s 1846 Recipe for ‘Berry Pudding’
Here’s an incredibly simple, batter-based, fruit pudding recipe from the nineteenth century.
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We’re Enjoying a Record Blueberry Harvest This Year
One significant innovation in our blueberry growing method has resulted in a complete turnaround in our fortunes.
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A Few Notes on Seventeenth Century Fruit Carving Techniques
Back in the C17th, elaborate forms of carved fruit were apparently all the rage at high-status banquets, or so several sources suggest.
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Esther Copley’s 1827 Recipe for ‘Gooseberry Wine in Imitation of Champaign’
Here’s another C19th gooseberry recipe from Mrs Copley, this time for a tipple to tickle your tastebuds.
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Esther Copley’s 1827 Recipe for ‘Baked Apple or Gooseberry Pudding’
Here’s a quick and easy recipe for a batter pudding, that sounds like a delicious way to make great use of some of your gooseberry crop.
