Borough Market will be celebrating the best of English apples this weekend when it hosts its 10thannual Apple Day celebration.
The free event, which takes place at the London market from 12-4pm on Sunday 21 October, aims to celebrate the wide variety of British apples, of which there are 2,500 indigenous to this country.
Although nearly two-thirds of the apple orchards across the country disappeared between the 1950s and the turn of the millennium, non-commercial growers, community orchards and farmers focused on protecting heritage varieties are supplying small volumes to Borough Market.
As well as Egremont Russets and Cox’s Orange Pippins, Santana and Topaz apples will also be in season and on display.Borough Market traderChegworthValley’s Kentish farm also grows a variety of crops including Blenheim Orange, WorcesterPermainand Ashmead’s Kernel.
Borough Market’s Apple Day celebrations include a tasting table of old, rare apple types from London and the regions supplied byBrogdaleHorticultural Trust and other private donors and stallholders. Visitors can also bring their own mystery apples and see if the Apple Doctor can identify them.
Families will be able to enjoy all things apple with a specially created story orchard – a small glade of young English apple trees where children can take part in arts and craft activities and listen to autumnal tales.Apple fans from the animal world will also be attending, including pigs from Hackney City Farm.
Chef Kathy Slack will be cooking up a range of delicious apple and harvest-themed dishes, while Borough Market traders will be offering apple-focused goods including apple biscuits, apple cake and cider from the New Forest.
There will even be a celebration of ancient seasonal customs with music, songs and performance by local historical theatre group the Lion’s Part.
Borough Market will be donating a proportion of the pitch fee for participating traders to trader-nominated charity, Lucy Brown House, a sheltered accommodation centre for older people in Southwark, where residents have their own flats and share communal facilities.
The market’s managing directorDarren Henaghan said: “Celebrating the unusual, the unique and the sheer variety of produce available, both in the UK and internationally, is at the heart of Borough Market.Our traders and producers are passionate about protecting heritage varieties of Britain’s indigenous apple so that customers can taste the delicious range of flavours from one of the UK’s most popular and versatile fruits.”
