{"id":4277,"date":"2021-10-21T10:00:36","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T08:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/?p=2609"},"modified":"2021-10-22T10:07:22","modified_gmt":"2021-10-22T08:07:22","slug":"apple-day-apple-weekend-where-and-how-to-celebrate","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/rss_feed\/apple-day-apple-weekend-where-and-how-to-celebrate\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple Day & Apple Weekend: where and how to celebrate"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Klaudia Mihalova\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 21 October 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

The apple<\/a> is a firm favourite in the British fruit bowl, but peel back its humble exterior and you\u2019ll realise that the apple<\/a> has a huge part to play in our culture and the ecology around us. Set up in 1990 by the charity Common Ground, Apple Day was intended to be both a celebration of the fruit\u2019s diversity and a demonstration of the variety of apples we are in danger of losing. The first Apple Day was held in the old Apple Market in London\u2019s Covent Garden, bringing fruit back to the market after 16 years absence. The event brought together apple growers and nurseries; cider makers and juice pressers; illustrators and writers. Celebrated on or around the 21 October every year \u2013 increasingly the \u2018apple weekend\u2019 has become popular, being the weekend between the 21st and the end of the month \u2013 apple celebrations encourage people to organise their own events to bring together families, schools and communities.<\/p>\n

This year you\u2019ll find a string of events taking place on Saturday 23 October (see below for details).<\/p>\n

If you want to host your own event, the apples themselves must be the stars.\u00a0 We\u2019ve picked out a few fun activities and recipes to help you find some inspiration to host your own event.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Activities for Apple Day<\/h3>\n
Here are three fun activities to celebrate Apple Day.<\/p>\n
Printing with apples<\/h4>\n
$\""Printing\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
To make the blocks, cut the apples in half in both directions, to get either a circle with a star or a classic apple profile with a stem. Add in a few crab apples to give yourselves different sizes to choose from. Use paint from ready-mixed sample pots, painting the surface of the apple with a brush, and pressing it firmly down on to a piece of card.<\/p>\n
Longest apple peel competition<\/h4>\n
$\""Longest\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
This game can be won twice over: by the person who cuts off the longest, unbroken peel and by the person who guesses the longest apple peel before they\u2019re hung up. There\u2019s a superstition that if a single woman tosses the peel over her left shoulder it will land in the shape of the first letter of her future husbands name.<\/p>\n
Apple bobbing<\/h4>\n
$\""Apple\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
This game, often associated with Halloween, dates back to Roman Britain. It was the Romans who introduced the apple to these islands. The tree represented the Pomona the goddess of fruitful abundance and fertility, and on her feast day they would bob for apples, with the first unmarried person to bite one becoming the next person who would be allowed to marry. Today it sorts the brave from the squeamish, especially if you tie arms behind the back to stop cheating.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Recipes to celebrate apple day<\/h3>\n
Apples can be used to make both sweet and savoury dishes and should of course, be accompanied by local pressed juice and cider. Many people have a favourite apple recipe that they\u2019re willing to make and bring to share. If you want to keep it simple, a big cauldron full of Pumpkin and apple soup, followed by slices of Apple Cake (see recipe below) is a tasty way to please the crowds.<\/p>\n
Apple cake<\/strong><\/p>\n
$\""Apple\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
6 cooking or eating apples<\/li>\n
1tbsp ground cinnamon<\/li>\n
400g (plus 5tbsp) granulated sugar<\/li>\n
345g plain flour<\/li>\n
1tbsp baking powder<\/li>\n
1tsp salt<\/li>\n
240ml vegetable oil<\/li>\n
4tbsp orange juice<\/li>\n
21\/2tsp vanilla extract<\/li>\n
4 large eggs<\/li>\n
130g walnuts, chopped (optional)<\/li>\n
Icing sugar and dried apple rings to finish<\/li>\n<\/ul>
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Peel, core and chop apples into 1-2cm chunks. Toss with cinnamon and 5tbsp of granulated sugar, set side. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a\u00a0 large bowl. In a medium bowl whisk together the oil, orange juice, 400g granulated sugar, vanilla extract and eggs. Stir wet ingredients into dry ones. Stir in the walnuts if using.<\/p>\n
Pour half the batter into a buttered 25cm cake tin. Spread half the apple chunks over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples in the tin, arrange remaining apples on top. Bake at 180\u00baC\/350\u00baF\/Gas 4 for 1.5 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from tin. Dust with icing sugar and dried apple rings.<\/p>\n
Toffee Apples<\/b><\/p>\n
$\""Toffee\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
200g golden granulated sugar<\/li>\n
1tsp white wine vinegar<\/li>\n
125ml maple syrup<\/li>\n
25g butter<\/li>\n
6 small, sweet eating apples, washed<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Dissolve the sugar in 100ml water over gentle heat. Add vinegar, maple syrup and butter. Boil for 5-10 minutes, until thickened to a caramel. Push a stick into each apple and dip it to coat with caramel (warm caramel if it begins to thicken too much). Allow to cool.<\/p>\n
Mulled Cider<\/b><\/p>\n
$\""Mulled\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
2 litres good-quality cider<\/li>\n
1 apple (for decoration)<\/li>\n
6 cloves (stud them into the decorative apple)<\/li>\n
3-4 star anise<\/li>\n
\u00bc a nutmeg, grated into\u00a0the pan<\/li>\n
1 cinnamon stick<\/li>\n
1 vanilla pod, halved<\/li>\n
Juice and zest of 1 orange<\/li>\n
Juice of 2 clementines<\/li>\n
Juice and seeds of\u00a01 pomegranate<\/li>\n
4-5tbsp caster sugar<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Pour cider into large pan on low heat for a few minutes. Add the apple and all spices, and juices, and turn up the heat. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and leave to tick away for 5-8 minutes. If you are doing this on a fire, you can raise the pan a little further away from the heat to cool to a simmer.\nAdd more sugar to taste.<\/p>\n
Pumpkin and Apple Soup\nServes 6<\/b><\/p>\n
$\""Onion\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
2 onions, peeled and chopped<\/li>\n
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed<\/li>\n
1 tbsp olive oil<\/li>\n
500g pumpkin, skinned, seeded and cubed<\/li>\n
2 baking apples, peeled, cored and chopped<\/li>\n
570ml vegetables stock<\/li>\n
300ml dry cider or apple juice<\/li>\n
2 sprigs fresh sage<\/li>\n
salt and freshly ground pepper<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onions and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, then add the pumpkin, chopped apples and sage.\u00a0Cook for another 2 minutes, season well and add stock and cider or apple juice. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the ingredients are tender.\nLiquidise and serve piping hot.<\/p>\n
Apple, Leek and Stilton Tarts\nServes 6<\/b><\/p>\n
$\""Apple\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
For pastry:<\/b><\/p>\n
350g plain flour<\/li>\n
\u00bd tsp salt<\/li>\n
170g butter cubed<\/li>\n
1 egg<\/li>\n
2-3 tbsp cold water<\/li>\n<\/ul>
For filling:<\/b><\/p>\n
1 medium leek trimmed<\/li>\n
1 tbsp unsalted butter<\/li>\n
1 medium dessert apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into 8mm\u00a0cubes<\/li>\n
3 large eggs<\/li>\n
\u00bd tsp salt<\/li>\n
\u00bc tsp freshly ground black pepper<\/li>\n
\u00bc tsp grated nutmeg<\/li>\n
225g Stilton trimmed of rind and crumbled<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg and using a knife stir in just enough cold water to bind the dough together.\u00a0 Wrap in cling film and chill for 15 minutes. Roll out, cut into discs, using a saucer as a template, and press into the pre-greased muffin tin. Leave to rest in a cool place for at least 1 hour.\u00a0Bake blind at 170\u00b0C\/Gas 3 for with baking beans for 20 minutes, then bake empty for 5-10 minutes, until golden brown. Leave to cool.<\/p>\n
Cut the leeks into strips and wash, drain and cut again into 6mm x 15mm bits.\u00a0Heat butter in a heavy skillet and add the leeks and apples. Cook over a medium heat, stirring, for about 5 minutes, then let cool.\u00a0Lightly beat the eggs and add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.\u00a0Distribute the leeks and apples evenly between the tart shells. Sprinkle the crumbled Stilton between the apples and leeks. Pour the custard over the top. Bake at 150\u00b0C\/300\u00b0F\/Gas 2 until the custard just sets in the middle, about 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
Events around apple day<\/h3>\n
This year Apple Day events are few and far between but more will be confirmed in the coming weeks.\u00a0 You can find many more on the People\u2019s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) website<\/a>.<\/p>\n
$\""Pumpkin\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n
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