- Dr A. W. Chase, on the Health Benefits of Apples
This C19th medical man was clearly a big fan of the humble apple and its wealth of health-giving properties.
- Book Notes: The Commonplace Book of John Gwin of Llangwm
This historical document provides a fascinating insight into orcharding practises, and apple and pear varieties, of the C17th.
- John Phin, on Avoiding (not Making) ‘Cider Without Apples’
Cider Without Apples? An obvious fraud. You definitely shouldn’t try this C19th recipe. Seriously. Don’t do it.
- François Pierre La Varenne, on Making ‘Apple Cream’
Here’s a simple recipe for a light, creamy, stewed apple dessert dish, courtesy of a C17th pioneer of French cuisine.
- Oh Bring Us A Figgy Pudding (Or Else..!)
Fine, you can have the pudding! Just stop singing at me. And you have to promise not to come back again tomorrow, okay?
- Gallery: Malus ‘Red Sentinel’ in Winter
A few snowy and icy days provided an opportunity for some lovely, wintry photos of a rather superb crab apple.
- Max Miller, on Making ‘Lamb’s Wool’ for Wassailing
Max’s latest episode takes a look at the tradition of wassailing and shows us how to make one of the classic wassail beverages.
- John Mollard, on Making a ‘Pulpton of Apples’
An oven-baked pudding of stewed apple and breadcrumbs? Sounds good to me. This C19th recipe has the details.
- How To: Make ‘Pear-Stuffed Baked Squash’
Here’s my interpretation of William Hanbury’s C18th suggestion for a spicy, fruit-filled, baked squash. Yum!
- Charlotte Mason, on Making ‘An Excellent Plumb Pudding’
Here’s a late C18th recipe for what amounts to a slightly less rich and spicy version of a modern-day Christmas Pud.
- Robert May, on Making ‘A Tart of Hips’
This C17th rosehip recipe sounds like an interesting way to make use of a hedgerow staple without resorting to cough syrup.
- E. Taylor, on Making ‘A Devonshire (Minced) Pye’
Whether you prefer your mincemeat pyes with or without actual meat, this pair of C18th recipes promises to deliver on plenty of fruity flavour.
- Back on the Trail of the ‘Norfolk Biffin’
Please excuse the lack of new content lately, but I’ve been busy with my ‘Beefing’ obsession…
- Harvest 2022 – Top Fruit from the Allotment Orchard
Here are the extended highlights of this year’s harvest of apples, pears, quinces, plums and damsons. Top fruit galore!
- Robert May, on Making a ‘Tart of Medlers’
Wondering what to do with your medlars once they start dropping from the tree? Here’s a C17th recipe that might come in useful.
- W. M. on Preserving Quinces
If you’ve got a glut of quinces and have run out of recipes, this C17th method for keeping them “all the yeare” might just be useful.
- Charlotte Mason, on Making ‘Quince Pudding’
This eighteenth century quince recipe is a tricky one to unravel, but the end result does sound interesting.
- Another Mystery Apple to Identify
The label says ‘Elstar;’ but the fruit says… something else. Time for another apple i.d. exercise.
- Cassel’s Household Guide, on Making ‘Orange Apple Jelly (Excellent)’
Here’s a nice little twist on a standard apple jelly recipe that should add a bit of a tang to your toast.
- So, How Do You “Coddle” an Apple?
I’ve often wondered about it, but never tried it, so I turned to a historical source or two, to see if I could find out how to do it.
- Sir Hugh Plat, on Making ‘Marmelade of Quinces or Damsons’
This C17th recipe is for two types of marmelade – white or ordinary – depending on when you add the sugar to the fruit.
- Frederick Nutt (and Me) on Making ‘Damson Ice Cream’
In which an 18th century recipe for damson ice cream and some advice from Twitter inspires me to make my own delightful damson dessert.
- Frederick Nutt, on Preserving ‘Damsons, Wet’ and ‘Damsons, Dried’
Here are two methods for preserving the bounty of your damson harvest, from Frederick Nutt’s C18th volume of confectionary cookery.
- Ann Peckham, on Making ‘Pickled Mellons’
If you’ve tried growing melons but they’ve not quite ripened, here’s a recipe for preserving the green fruit with a fiery, spicy stuffing.
- Robert May, on Making a ‘Quodling Pie’
Here’s a C17th windfall apple apple pie that’s spiced and iced, although the recipe is frustratingly imprecise.
- Charlotte Mason, on Making ‘Green Codling Pudding’
You know what you don’t see enough of these days? A bright green apple pie filling. This C18th recipe tells us how to make one.
- Mid-Year Update, 2022 Edition
Here’s a quick summary of my various orchard-related activities so far this year.
- Orchard Visit: Prospect Orchard, Llanidloes, Powys
A summer afternoon in June was the perfect time to visit the home of Welsh Mountain Cider.
- W. M. on Making ‘Gooseberry Fool’
This C17th version of the classic fool is thickened with butter, sugar and egg yolks rather than the usual milk or cream.
- Robert May, on Preserving Green Fruits
Here’s a quick seventeenth century guide to preserving green or under-ripe fruit: gooseberries, plums, pippins, peaches and grapes.
- Top-Fruit Thinning Season is Here Again
It’s that fruitlet thinning time of year again! Grab your sharpest snips and head on down to your orchard.
- Eliza Smith, on Making ‘Gooseberry Tansey’
Here’s an eighteenth century drop-scone pancake type recipe to help you use up some of your gooseberry glut.
- Marion Harland, on Making ‘Frosted Peaches’
This nineteenth century peach of a recipe is guaranteed to add a bit of sparkle to your dinner party dessert course.
- Stepover Apple Trees: Winter Pruning, Year Three
I’ve been shunning the standard advice and only winter pruning trained apple trees for three years now. Here’s how it’s going.
- Climate Change in the Orchard: Later Frosts, Earlier Harvests?
A recently published research paper has outlined some of the possible implications of climate change for orchard growers.
- Seedling Apple Trees – Let’s Give ’em a Go
In the face of all the best advice to the contrary, I’ve decided to try growing a new apple variety or two from seed.
- Charlotte Mason, on Making ‘German Fritters’
Here’s an eighteenth century recipe for boozy, sugary, fried apple fritters that sounds like sweet simplicity itself.
- How To: Top-Graft a ‘Family’ Apple Tree
Here’s how I went about creating a ‘family’ apple tree of six varieties, using the rind grafting technique.
- Charles Bellingham, on Recovering Old Trees, C17th Style
Got an old fruit tree that could do with a boost? Mr Bellingham has a suggestion, but you might not like it very much…
- A Tale of Two Crab Apple Trees
I’ve pruned two very different crab apples this year – here’s how I approached each one, and the results of the work.
- Orchard Blossom Season is Almost Here
Spring-time in the orchard and beautiful blossom buds are about to burst into life. So why is it such a tense and worrying time..?
- John Smith, on Making Gooseberry, Apple or Rhubarb Cream
Here’s a fool-proof dish of stewed fruit, sugar, cream and eggs from a nineteenth century collection of veggie recipes.
- FruitWatch: Citizen Science in the Orchard
A new project at the University of Reading needs UK fruit tree owners’ help to record changing blossom patterns.
- A Frost-Pruned Fig Tree, and What Happened Next
Last year our fig tree was hit by a late frost. Every apical bud and fruitlet was killed. But that was far from the end of the story…
- Sir James Justice, on The Errors of Fruit Sellers
How would you prefer your apples, Sir James? Why, in a straw-lined, paper-padded barrel. Obviously.
- How NOT to Graft a ‘Family’ Apple Tree (#EpicFail)
The best laid plans of orchardists also gang aft a-gley, especially if you don’t think your clever ideas through properly…
- Georgiana Hill, on Making ‘Pommes à l’Impératrice’
A dish of baked apples fit for an Empress. You’ll definitely need your sweet tooth for this recipe.
- Charles D. Young and Co.’s Espalier Training Supports, 1801
You’re looking for an ironwork espalier fruit tree training frame? But of course. We have two models, which would you prefer?
- William B. Page, on C19th Apple Tree Pest Control
The whole race of apple-trees is threatened with extirpation? Quick, to the chemicals cupboard!
- Prof. R. W. Lazenby, on the Perfect Apple
Here’s one late nineteenth century Professor’s criteria for apple perfection. Do you agree?
- More Fruit Stories from Atlas Obscura
Here’s another selection of fruit-related stories from the Atlas Obscura archives.
- Book Notes: The Orchard Book, by Wade Muggleton
This new book on orchard planning, establishment and management covers all the essential bases.
- Amelia Simmons, on Grafting a ‘Family Tree’
Words of wisdom here on how to keep youngsters out of mischief by teaching them the art of apple tree grafting.
- Monk’s Modern Medieval Cuisine Makes Quince ‘Connate’
A quick shout out for Christopher Monk’s take on a late fourteenth century quince recipe from The Forme of Cury.
- Orchard Visit: Two at Phillips Park, Prestwich
A winter walk leads to the discovery of not one but two new orchards, one on the site of a former kitchen garden.
- Season’s Greetings!
A very happy {insert holiday season of choice here} to Orchard Notes readers and fellow orchardists everywhere.
- William Verral, on Making ‘Pears Portuguese Fashion, with Currants’
Here’s an eighteenth century twist on a seasonal classic, involving good winter pears and a pint of port.
- ‘E.H.B.’ on ‘Apple Florentine’ at Christmas
This giant apple pie, served up with a quart of well-spiced ale, sounds like a recipe for my sort of Christmas feast.
- How To: Make Medlar Cheese and Medlar Jelly
Making medlar cheese and medlar jelly are great ways to get the best out of this unusual and tasty Autumn fruit. Here’s how.
- Riley M. Fletcher Berry, on Making ‘Apple Slump’
Here are two versions of a biscuity, cobbler-like, stewed apple pudding from the early twentieth century.
- Heirloom Fruit Recipe Radio Chat with Susan Poizner
I had a great time on Susan’s Urban Foresty Radio Show, talking heirloom fruit recipes with Brigitte Webster and Paul Couchman.
- Support The Orchard Project’s Big Give Fundraiser
This festive season, give the gift of fruit trees to help enhance the environment for six urban communities ion the UK.
- Marion Harland, on Making ‘Apples and Jelly’
This syrupy, sugary baked apple dessert sounds simple enough to make, but could your teeth take the punishment?
- Plot #79 Orchard Year in Review, 2021 Edition
We’ve had a mixed year on our allotment plot orchard. Here’s a round-up of the good, the bad and the downright ugly.
- Guesting on Urban Forestry Radio, Tues Nov 30th
I’ll be talking heirloom fruit recipes with host Suzan Poizner and co-guests Brigitte Webster and Paul Couchman.
- Marion Harland, on Seasonal Fruit, that Wholesome Dessert
A few wise words on the benefits of serving fresh fruit and nuts at the dinner table, from the 1886 pen of Mrs Harland.
- Mary J. Lincoln, on Making ‘Compote of Apples’
Here’s another entry from the cookery book of Mrs Mary J. Lincoln, this time helping to clear up a confusion of compôtes.
- Gervase Markham, on Preserving Quinces in Cider
Here’s an idea for preserving your quince harvest, and maybe making quince flavoured cider at the same time.
- Brigitte Webster Makes ‘Spiced Pear Pie’ (via Thomas Dawson)
This modern take on Thomas Dawson’s C16th recipe is a delicious combination of pears, candied orange, sugar and spice.
- Ann Knox, on Making ‘Hot Apple Soup (Apfelsuppe)’
This sweetened, fruity soup, from a book of Austrian recipes, sounds like a perfect autumn warmer to me.
- Decision Time For My ‘Air-Pot Mini-Orchard’ Apple Trees
An interesting idea that still has potential, but mistakes (many mistakes) were made. Time to reboot.
- Edward Lambert, on Making ‘Pippin Knots’
Here’s a C18th recipe for a twisty toffee treat made from apples and sugar. just in time for Bonfire Night.
- Ladies of State Street Parish, on Making ‘Apple Meringue’
You’ll need a sweet tooth for this baked dessert of syrup-simmered apples topped with egg custard and meringue.
- Henry Howard, on Stewing Pears
Here’s a delicious-sounding, rather boozy, spicy-sweet, early C18th recipe for baking and stewing Warden pears.
- William Goodman, on Baking Pears
Here’s a simple but tasty-sounding method for slowly oven-baking pears… from a social history of Stuart-era Great Britain.
- Book Notes: Taming Fruit, by Bernd Brunner
This panoramic overview of humanity’s relationship with fruit is a must-have for any pomological collection.
- John Worlidge, on Cutting-Edge Pressing Technology
If it’s a fruit-pressing technological breakthrough that you’re looking for, you need look no further.
- Mary Eliza Ketelby Rundell, on Making ‘Pippin Pudding’
This nineteenth century ‘pudding’ recipe is really a fruity baked custard in disguise… still sounds delicious though.
- 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 Pears
What’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 Gothie
A 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 Ways
How 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 Tart
Plus 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.
- Edmund Saul Dixon, on Keeping Apples in Sand
Apples to store over winter? A few hundredweight of pit-sand, a kiln and several large jars to-hand? It’s your lucky day, isn’t it?
- Robert Donald, on Clamp-Storing Apples
A nurseryman provides details of a common method for storing apples, pre-fridges.
- Apple I.D. Practice – Four Mystery Varieties to Identify
In which I attempt to identify four unknown apple varieties – second opinions are very welcome!
- Jo Green Makes ‘Ordsall Hog Pudding’ (via William Kitchiner)
Here’s a modern take on one of William Kitchiner’s apple recipes, courtesy of Ordsall Hall’s Head Gardener, Jo Green.
- Robert Ingram, on Not Picking Pears Too Early
When it comes to perfect pears, practicing patience is the prudent path to proper picking.
- Thomas Tusser, on Gathering Fruit Not Too Timely
Here are a few words of sixteenth century wisdom on the subject of managing your fruit harvest.
- Mary Smith, on Drying ‘Green Gage Plumbs’
This eighteenth century method for drying greengages calls for candying your plum(b)s in syrup before setting them to dry.
- William Kitchiner, on Making ‘Nottingham Pudding’
Here’s a nineteenth century apple-based batter pudding, to warm you cockles and stick to your ribs on an Autumn evening.
- How To: Check For a Maggot in Your Apple
A quick guide to spotting an unwanted lodger in that ripe, perfect-looking piece of fruit, *before* you bite into it…
- Georgiana Hill, on Making ‘Salade de Pommes a la Contrabandista’
This simple apple side-dish sounds like a tasty accompaniment to cheese, ham, or as Mrs Hill suggests: “hot or cold game”.
- William Kitchiner, on Making ‘Boston Apple Pudding’
Spiced apple puree, sugar, eggs and cream, baked in a pastry case? It’s a nineteenth century apple quiche, surely?
- Spoilt for Choice at Village Greens, Prestwich
Here’s why VGs is absolutely the best place in north Manchester / south Bury for fresh, seasonal, organic apples, bar none.
- Identifying a Mystery Apple Tree on Plot #79
In which I apply a three-step apple i.d. process to see if I can find a match for these not-as-labelled apples.