This week’s Veg News spotlights some of the fantastic UK orchard fruits we have on the fruit stand at the moment.
Martin and Rachel Soble and the team at Carey in Herefordshire have a spectacular assortment of plums for us this week, including Excalibur, Mallard, Seneca and their first Greengages. Often nicknamed the ‘queen of plums’, Greengages are intensely sweet and honey-like, with a rich, syrupy flavour balanced by the fresh, light and tangy acidity of their skin. Their complex flavour is often described as having tropical notes such as mango, apricot and citrus marmalade!
We are also looking forward to our first delivery later this week from Jen and the team at Windmill Orchards in Banbury, which will include Marjorie Seedling and one of the best-loved English plum varieties, Victoria. An absolutely delicious plum for eating, Victoria is also wonderful for jamming or cooking down to make crumble or compote.
If you were in over the weekend, you may have spotted some Damsons picked by our very own member Stu, who is also a director at Kindling Farm. A heritage variety of plum and a member of the rose family, Damsons are something of a rarity these days. They are the ultimate plum for cooking and jamming, with a rich, complex flavour that combines sweet, spicy and slightly sour notes. The drought this summer has unfortunately affected yields dramatically, but Stu will be picking a few more for us soon.
And finally, the first new-season apples are arriving from Windmill, Carey and Mole End. Katy apples will soon be joining Discovery and Rosette, with Carey’s first Conference pears not far behind. We also have plenty of Grenadier cooking apples, also picked by Stu, which have a sharp, zesty flavour and cook down effortlessly into a smooth, creamy purée.
