Bramley apples

As the apple trees are all flowering now, with the lack of frost (touch wood...) fruit set should be good. Here are a few snippets about one of the most popular apples to get you in the mood for the season ahead....

Ten facts about Bramley apples

1. In 2010 in Britain about 388 million Bramley apples were grown
2. In that year we consumed just under 25,000 tonnes of fresh Bramley apples
3. Bramley apple sales reach their peak in February
4. Bramleys are available year-round and new season apples are picked in August/September
5. Today, British Bramleys are a £50m industry
6. The old nickname for the Bramley was "The King of Covent garden" - a name still used in the New Covent Garden Market.
7. The first Bramley apple tree grew from pips planted by a young girl, Mary Ann Brailsford, in her Nottinghamshire Garden in 1989
8. The original Bramley tree continues to bear fruit
9. Bramley apple trees are unique because they contain a higher acid content and lower sugar levels to produce a stronger, tangier tasting apple
10. Bramley apples are a powerful source of antioxidants, fibre and potassium