some Bramley Seedlings for mum’s pastry
a Golden Russet for our red-haired son
a Golden Russet for our red-haired son
the juice of Cox’s Orange Pippins
for his baby brother to suck on
a Worcester Pearmain for my sweetheart
she is the apple of my eye
and in memory of my dear dad
fill a plate with perfect apple pie
Beauty of Bath and Newton Wonder
Laxton’s Superb – we kiss and pray
that for every home-grown Stroudie
there’s a home-grown Lodgemore Nonpareil
a deserved windfall for all teachers
be they average good or bad
sweet Sturmers for all shining schoolgirls
the pip for every sullen lad
a rotten apple for all preachers
young Eve was right – their God was wrong
apple maggots for all monarchs
and their sour corps of hangers-on
poisonous apples for Monsanto
organic apples for the Green
Golden Delicious for New Labour
so tasteless bland and in-between
apple fritters apple dumplings
charlottes crumbles glazed French tarte
chutney strudel scrumpy cider
each recipe a work of art
sharp apples served with demerarer
cloves and cinnamon clotted cream
almonds honey baked Alaska –
the stuff of everybody’s dream
so celebrate our apple history
keep apples ever close to heart
sow them grow them store them adore them
but never upset the apple cart
no never upset the applecart
Jeff Cloves
Stroud October 1999
Apple Day is the 21st of October and was launched
by Common Ground in 1990.
Common Ground was founded in 1983 by Sue Clifford
Angela King and Roger Deakin (1943-2006).
In 1996 CG published Richard Mabey’s justly celebrated
Flora Brittanica and campaigns for local distinctiveness
and creative conservation throughout the UK.
Illustration: Claire Palmer
Thank you for this reminder of the wonder of the apple!
Comment by Edward P Johnston on 25 October, 2020 at 6:50 pmApples for health, apple lore and apple retribution.
Both your Apple Day stories are educational and delightful-
the illustration sparkles and beckons.
Here in Hawai’i we cannot grow more than the “tropical apples”.
But in honor of Apple Day, I will add here a poem I once wrote about the Anna Apple-
(and a kindly neighbor):
Today we honor the history of pie.
Not the pi of circumference fame
Nor the pie that’s in the sky
Today we honor not just a name
Instead we honor the Anna Pie.
We’re talking of course of Abba and Anna Stein
Moreover Abba who called this apple– “mine”
Named for Anna, Anna Stein.
A dual purpose cultivar its perfectly clear
But one that lends to pies as dear.
The Ein Shemer kibbutz where it got its start
Slightly sweet and just a little tart.
Perfect for pies and pie-like things
Of health and joy the Anna pie brings.
A Golden Delicious bred, but for tropical climes
Back again the apple chimes.
But I digress and return to pies
And thoughtful neighbors whom we rely
Having just made us an Anna Apple Pie.
Am I finished writing? Not quite yet
A history of pies is a better bet
It was Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1300’s
When apple pies first gained abundance.
On to the New World and what do you get?
Greater varieties are a very safe bet.
But one more time I digress
In this case maybe more should be less.
Just to say– thanks a lot, no need reply
For this my tribute to your Anna Apple Pie .