How to Celebrate National Apple Day on 21st October

As the crisp autumn air rolls in, and the trees become laden with the vibrant colours of harvest, 21st October marks National Apple Day in the UK. 

This beloved celebration, introduced in 1990 by Common Ground, highlights the diversity of British apples and the importance of orchards in our landscape and culture. 

Whether you’re an apple enthusiast or just looking for a way to enjoy this delightful fruit, here are some ways to celebrate National Apple Day.

1. Visit an Orchard

There’s no better way to appreciate apples than by visiting a local orchard. Across the UK, many orchards open their doors to the public for apple-picking experiences. Wander through rows of apple trees, breathe in the fresh autumn air, and handpick your favourite varieties. This is not only a fun day out but also a fantastic way to support local farmers and experience the full variety of British apples. From the classic Bramley to lesser-known heritage varieties, there’s something for everyone.

2. Host an Apple Tasting Party

Apples come in an incredible range of flavours, textures, and colours. Why not invite friends and family over for an apple-tasting party? Gather different varieties from your local market or farm shop – perhaps a Cox's Orange Pippin, Egremont Russet, or a crisp Granny Smith. You can cut them into slices and taste the subtle differences in sweetness, tartness, and texture. Pair them with cheeses, honey, or even apple-based beverages like cider for an extra treat!

3. Make Homemade Apple Treats

Apples are one of the most versatile fruits in the kitchen. Celebrate National Apple Day by trying your hand at making classic apple recipes. A warm apple crumble is a British favourite, or for something a little different, try baking apple and cinnamon scones or a rich apple tarte Tatin. For those feeling adventurous, you could even try making your own apple cider or chutney.

4. Get Crafty with Apples

For those with children, National Apple Day can be a fun and creative way to engage in some autumn-themed crafts. Carving apples, making apple prints, or even creating decorative apple garlands are simple, enjoyable activities that can involve the whole family. You could also try making dried apple rings for a healthy snack or even as ornaments for a festive feel later in the year.

5. Learn About the Apple’s History

Apples have a long and rich history, and National Apple Day is a perfect opportunity to learn more about this fascinating fruit. The UK has a proud heritage of apple cultivation, with some varieties dating back hundreds of years. Visit a local apple festival, attend talks about apple-growing traditions, or check out your local library for books on British apple varieties and orchard conservation. If you're interested in sustainability, this is also an excellent time to reflect on how supporting local produce and traditional apple varieties contributes to biodiversity and reduces food miles.

6. Support Local Apple Farmers

Buying apples from local farmers' markets, farm shops, or directly from orchards is a great way to celebrate the day. Many independent growers specialise in heritage varieties that you won’t find in supermarkets, allowing you to support smaller businesses and enjoy unique flavours. Additionally, purchasing locally helps reduce your carbon footprint and fosters a stronger connection with the seasons and your local environment.

7. Enjoy an Apple Walk

Another wonderful way to celebrate National Apple Day is by taking an apple walk. Some orchards and gardens host guided tours where you can learn more about different apple varieties, the process of growing them, and the importance of orchard conservation. For a more leisurely option, why not take a stroll through your local countryside, keeping an eye out for wild apple trees and enjoying the autumn colours?

8. Join a Local Apple Day Event

Many communities across the UK organise Apple Day events filled with activities such as apple pressing, cider tasting, and apple-related games for children. These events celebrate the cultural significance of apples and often include local music, food stalls, and even competitions like the largest apple or longest apple peel. Check your local listings to see if any events are happening near you – it’s a wonderful way to enjoy the day with your community.

National Apple Day is not just about celebrating a fruit; it’s about recognising the deep connection between apples, our environment, and our heritage. Whether you’re tasting new varieties, baking apple-inspired treats, or enjoying a day in the orchard, there are so many ways to immerse yourself in the spirit of this day. So, on 21st October, embrace the beauty of autumn, savour the flavours of the season, and celebrate the humble apple in all its glory!

But there's more! Our very good friends over at Bonne Maman have some ideas of their own on how to celebrate National Apple Day and we are pleased to be able to share them here:-

Celebrate one of nature's most versatile and delicious fruits on the 21st of October. Taking place in apple harvest season, this day pays tribute to the rich heritage and diversity of apple varieties grown across the nation. 

Bonne Maman has a trio of apple-inspired treats that can satisfy the autumnal cravings on National Apple Day - Caramelised Apple Spread, Apple and Caramel Mousse as well as the new look Caramelised Apple Yoghurt.

Caramelised Apple Spread

 Simply made with 80% apple plus fresh butter and absolutely no palm oil, this award-winning delicious spread is rich and buttery in texture and contains flavours that fit perfectly with the autumnal celebration of Apple Day. Simply layer a generous serving on toasted fingers of brioche or spread over warm crumpets for a delicious mid-day treat. Available from most major supermarkets at £2.90 for 275g jar.

Apple and Caramel Mousse

A mouth-watering dessert that can be enjoyed every day, the Apple and Caramel Mousse contains generous pieces of apple that are delicately mixed with a light vanilla mousse and topped with a smooth caramel crème, simply made with care as you would at home. Perfectly combining the warmth and comfort of autumn's best flavours in every spoonful, it is available from Waitrose stores or from Ocado.

Caramelised Apple Yoghurt

 Presented in new look, widely recyclable packaging, Caramelised Apple Yoghurt is made with juicy, ripe fruit pieces simply mixed with thick and creamy natural yoghurt. With 2 out of 5 people saying a luxury yoghurt with real fruit is more appealing that ice cream*, it is perfect as a cosy, Autumnal alternative. Available in Waitrose stores rrp £3.20

New Delicious Spreads from Bonne Maman

It's always a good day when Bonne Maman announces new products! 

Complementing their delectable Hazelnut Chocolate Spread, these new Bonne Maman products form a sophisticated new range of delicious spreads from the top specialist French conserve brand. 

Carefully crafted using only simple ingredients and thankfully containing no palm oil, each of the flavours can instantly transform an everyday snack, -maybe a plain brioche or a shortbread or digestive biscuit, -into an absolutely indulgent, special moment all of one's own.

Inspired by the French Orangettes (candied orange peel) new, smooth and indulgent Chocolate & Orange Spread is made with 39% crushed oranges and orange zest stirred into melted dark chocolate and, as we say, contains no palm oil. 

The tart citrus contrast of the bitter orange flavour with the deep, dark chocolate means the Chocolate & Orange Spread can be delightful spread onto a shortbread biscuit or a slice of madeira cake for a delectable little treat. (Or on some freshly baked French sticks?)

Only made with 80% apple plus fresh butter and no palm oil, new Caramelised Apple Spread is like a classic homemade French 'tarte tatin' in a jar – deliciously rich and buttery in texture with a deeply satisfying apple taste and scent of an Autumn orchard. Caramelised Apple Spread pairs beautifully with toasted fingers of brioche and makes a perfect, indulgent snack for the afternoon when topping crumpets, pikelets and fruity tea cakes or malt loaves. 

Presented in striking glass jars complete with the iconic Bonne Maman red gingham lid, the new spreads are available nationwide from mid-October, sitting alongside Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread at Sainsbury's, Waitrose & Partners, Morrisons and ASDA nationwide plus Ocado.com. Chocolate & Orange Spread can also be found at the Co-op. Caramelised Apple Spread 275g jar and Chocolate & Orange Spread 275g jar both at £2.90 rrp.

Once opened, both new spreads should be refrigerated and consumed within three weeks. Both products are made with simple ingredients, contain no palm-oil, are suitable for vegetarians and the packaging can be widely recycled.

(If they last three days in our home, I'd be shocked, to be honest, let alone three weeks!)

FACTFILE: For further information, tips and recipes see www.bonnemaman.co.uk.

New Apple and Caramel Mousse from Bonne Maman

Introducing the utterly superb and new Apple and Caramel Mousse, a delicious addition to the Bonne Maman chilled desserts range.

It's a fantastic and mouth-watering and indulgent everyday treat, the new Bonne Maman Apple and Caramel Mousse contains generous pieces of apple which are delicately mixed with a light vanilla mousse and topped with a delectable, smooth caramel crème.

Bonne Maman offers a wide range of extremely popular mousse desserts, all following simple recipes and all using natural ingredients. The range includes five single flavour varieties, Chocolate, Strawberry, Clementine, Rhubarb and Blackcurrant, plus two layered, flavour combination desserts of Pear & Chocolate Mousse and now Caramel and Apple Mousse.

They are carefully presented in packs of two x 90g pots, new Apple and Caramel Mousse are available in the chilled dessert cabinets at Sainsbury’s and Waitrose & Partners stores nationwide at a rrp of £2.20.

How a humble apple could cost you dear

Here's a word of caution from LeaseCar.uk:

If you eat an apple or any other fruit if you toss the core or any uneaten portion of the apple, banana or  other fruit out of your car, van, lorry, bus or whatever, you could end up with a hefty sum of money for littering.

A spokesperson for Leasecaruk told That's Food and Drink: "Drivers could be given an on-the-spot fine of up to £150 if caught throwing an old apple core out of the window.

"Although having a quick snack on the go is common for most of us, throwing something outside can be classed as littering - even if the item is biodegradable or an animal comes along and eats it."

This law also covers half-eaten sandwiches, etc, so to be safe rather than sorry, take your food  waste home with you or bin it responsibly at the next available waste bin. 

(Image courtesy of Golda and Pixabay)

Co-Op brings back heritage apple juice

The Co-operative is reintroducing its heritage apple juice, made from 1,000 varieties of rare apples, and quadrupling production after selling out last year.

 

An extra 28,635 litres of The Co-operative Farms’ Truly Irresistible Tillington 1000 Pressed Apple Juice have been produced following high demand for the fresh juice last year, which sold out within weeks of hitting the shelves.

 

This year 38,000 one-litre bottles, compared to 9,365 in 2011, will be available at 608 selected Co-operative Food stores across the country, priced at £2.29 each, this week (from February 9).

The 1,000 varieties of apple tree, used to create Tillington 1,000 pressed apple juice, had faced being taken out of commercial production before The Co-operative Farms bought one of three identical collections for its fruit farm at Tillington in Herefordshire in 2008.

The other two parts of the collection were bought by the Prince of Wales and a private Scottish collector, but The Co-operative’s collection is the only one being put to a commercial use.

David Gardner, Head of Fruit Operations at Co-operative Farms, said: “Thanks to an even greater apple yield from our maturing orchard we are in a position to meet the high demand for this fresh apple juice.

“These apples offer a real taste of British history, and were in real danger of disappearing forever. To be able to turn them into a delicious and popular drink is extremely exciting and is an example of what The Co-operative, as a major food retailer and the UK’s largest farming business, can achieve.”

The collection of heritage trees includes “Isaac Newton’s tree”, which is identical to and originated from the apple tree in the garden of Newton’s home, which helped him discover gravity. Other rare varieties grown at Tillington, and included in the heritage apple drink, include Great Expectations, Fairie Queen, Northern Spy, Forty Shilling, Dick’s Bill and Bloody Ploughman.

For further information about Co-operative stores stocking the product, customers can contact the Co-operative Customer Careline on (freephone) 0800 0686 727.

Clippy’s Apples, giving your BBQ the Fruit-factor!

This summer no BBQ will be complete without Clippy’s Apples wonderful range of tasty conserves, jellies, chutneys and relishes. 

Created by working mum and Master Preserver, Clippy, Clippy’s Apples products contain only British apples and, unlike other sugary supermarket brands are totally fruit-tastic, packed full of lovely juicy fruit and combined with indulgent hedonistic ingredients – they’ll set your taste buds alight!  Available nationwide, Clippy has hand-picked from her range the ones that best capture this season in a jar:

Apple, Garlic & Thyme Jelly

This tongue-tingling preserve is made with pressed British apple juice, perfectly roasted garlic, and thyme. Use it to add some zing to your BBQ meats.  This jelly is also delicious melted down and used as a mild marinade.

Apple, Redcurrant & Chilli Jelly

The word 'addictive' describes this hot but not hellish chilli jelly.  It contains 63g of fruit per 100g.  Again, this jelly, when melted down makes a lovely marinade with a chilli kick!

Apple Tomato & Roasted Garlic Relish

The perfect dip for any BBQ, it’s light and refreshing, everyone’s favourite!

Apple, Mango & Chilli Chutney

Wow!  This really packs a punch - try with your BBQ sausages or to perk up your burger!  Also yummy with big juicy prawns or fish on the BBQ.

Clippy is on a mission to save British apple orchards and uses only British apples in all Clippy’s Apples products.  All of Clippy’s recipes have been developed in her home kitchen using apples from her back garden with daughter Rosie, 2, as chief taster!  (EDITOR: That's a very important job!)

Clippy’s Apples products are available via Ocado.com, ASDA (North West stores only), Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols and E.H. Booths.

All of Clippy’s Apples products come with handy serving suggestions on the label to give you a little inspiration.

Clippy’s passion for British apples began when she found out that two-thirds of British apple orchards have been lost since 1970 and Clippy, together with fiancé Paul Gorman, wants to reverse this disturbing trend.  Clippy Founded Clippy’s Apples in 2008 by using apples from her back garden.

(EDITOR: That's Food and Drink raises a glass to Clippy, Paul and Chief Taster, Rosie!)