What are the best apples to cook with?
Rachel, Kent
There are more than 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the UK, not that you’d know it from the handful available in supermarkets. For this reason, Jane Scotter of biodynamic farm Fern Verrow in Herefordshire says it’s “more about where you buy your apples from”. Going to a farmer’s market, she explains, “where they know the attributes of each apple, is the best way to find out more”.
Of course, that isn’t viable for everyone, so let’s get some pointers from Julius Roberts, author of The Farm Table: “We all know there are cookers and eaters, but while you have to cook the former, because they are so sharp, you can still cook with eating apples.” Resist the urge to get “too bogged down” with varieties, though: “You want to get more into the texture and flavours instead.” This will come through experimentation, so Roberts advises grabbing a selection and “just playing around”.
