Need help - craving fruit!

[Seraphim]

Hello all :)

Not sure if it's a cooking or gardening thing really, so taking a stab in the dark and putting it here :)

For the past year or so I have been trying to eat as much of a local and organic diet as possible. Mostly I do ok; my food is probably 90% organic and 60% local right now, still working on it.

But. The big problem. I am desperately craving fruit. Please can a helpful gardener/cook or other knowledgable person let me know what fruit I can eat? I managed to get some apples in the autumn and in the summer it's fine with all the berries..... but right now I can find nothing at all apart from tasteless apples that have been in storage :/

Does any fruit grow in the UK apart from apples and berries, and when should I look for it?

Thanks for your time as always!

[Annpan]

Rhubarb

My forced rhubarb is ready now, a month or so before the main crop.


I guess Jams and Chutneys are the traditional way to get fruit throughout the year.... or how about freezing raspberries?

[Green Aura]

Yup, rhubarb is the way to go, mine's ready too - it was only 3-4 weeks ago I put the forcer on some fist-sized stumps!

Technically, of course, it's a vegetable

[Seraphim]

Thanks for the help you two, unfortunately my other half won't touch rhubarb (sob!), and I really would like something just to snack on and dig my teeth into.... I guess it's back to the imported apples unfortunately Though I do remember when I was a kid sitting on the back porch with a bowl of sugar and some sticks of rhubarb, just dipping and munching..... but I think my dentist would have a fit ;)

[snapdragon]

Don't tell the dentist - they won't know if you brush after your treat
tomatos available from UK now, and that's a fruit

[Helsbells]

Hi Seraphim,

I dont think you should feel bad about buying the odd bit of fruit here and there, if you are craving fruit then you could be lacking in nutrients. Just try and buy fruit that is a least european so it hasnt travelled too far. If not European make sure it is fair trade so you are supporting farmers, and organic because tis better for the environment and has higher welfare standards.
Also dont forget about dried fruit, lots of nutrients in that and I think its better for the environment because its smaller, thus weighs less etc for transporting (just guessing here though but I would imaging this is the case)
You have to think of your health.

[greenfingers]

bottling fruit is also a traditional preserving methord , also on the dried fruit note, why not make some of your own nexst year and store it, will probubly taste better than stored apples (sadly owers have alwas gone off be xmas, cant work out why)

[Rohen]

http://www.fruitexpert.co.uk/CanningAnd ... Fruit.html

You might want to look at this

[Seraphim]

Ooh, thanks for the canning/bottling link.... not sure why that hadn't occured to me, but hey!

Excellent ideas Ish'ers, as always :)