Apple season pickup in Kent & NYC

We go apple picking at a rent-a-tree farm and get excited about a new book about Essential Eating in the US

Living in West Kent in southern England, I’m bordered by the bountiful Weald countryside, and its thousands of hectares of fruit orchards and nut plantations known locally as platts. These magical, fairytale places are full of life. As we approach the end of the year, vibrant blossom has given way to a place full of fruit, colour, and fragrance.

This past weekend, I visited Bentinck Farm in Pembury. This local fruit farm is known best for growing cherries and apples; as well as cobnuts, a local speciality similar to hazelnuts and popularly eaten raw or used in flavoured oils, chocolates, and preserves.