That apple didn’t fall far from the tree!

An apple a day keeps the doctor away; an apple-pie bed; an apple for the teacher; up the apples and pears; in apple-pie order; apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze- that’s my favourite apple-related saying. Then there’s Johnny-appleseed and Appley-Dapply’s nursery rhymes. Where would we be without apples? The first recorded Bramley was in the garden of Mary Anne Brailsford who lived near Southwell, Nottinghamshire. As a child, in around 1812, she planted the pip from an apple her mother was using. This grew to a full sized tree and when the house and garden were sold to Matthew Bramley he formally named it and allowed cuttings to be produced in his name. The Bramley is considered ideal for cooking but unsuitable to be eaten as a dessert apple as it’s so sour. I’ve never been able to find them in any other country, although the U.S. has several equally tart varieties. We have many native sweet apples and often independent greengrocers and farm shops will have varieties such as Katy, Greensleeves, Saturn, Baldwin, Empire and of course Cox’s Orange Pippin, although I doubt you’ll find May Queen- a legend in our household. Any of these would make a change from Golden Delicious, Gala and even Braeburn but they have cornered the popular market by being pretty much the only varieties offered in supermarkets these days. High in vitamin C and in fibre apples are versatile and blend well with other flavours- so I make no apology for the number of videos of apple dishes coming up at the moment! x