Myths or not?
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- Pepper Pig
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- Location: North West London
Myths or not?
When I was starting to cook in my twenties I was told two things. You can tell a Cox’s Orange Pippin because if you shake it you will hear the pips wiggling around. If you have English strawberries then you just have to pull the stalk out and no need to hull.
Over the years have thought this a bit rubbish but today we had English strawberries from Sainsbury’s and the stalks just fell out!
Over the years have thought this a bit rubbish but today we had English strawberries from Sainsbury’s and the stalks just fell out!
- Earthmaiden
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- Location: Wiltshire
Re: Myths or not?
I have bought English strawberries twice from Waitrose in recent weeks and it wasn't the case.
I wonder if the way they are grown or the variety makes a difference. Didn't know that about the Cox's pips but can believe it.
I wonder if the way they are grown or the variety makes a difference. Didn't know that about the Cox's pips but can believe it.
- liketocook
- Posts: 2386
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:12 pm
Re: Myths or not?
I've heard that about Cox's pips and it does sort of sound plausible.
I think the strawberries may well be more how properly ripe they are when picked rather than geographic origin though perhaps UK grown ones can be left on the plant for longer as they don't need to travel so far.
I think the strawberries may well be more how properly ripe they are when picked rather than geographic origin though perhaps UK grown ones can be left on the plant for longer as they don't need to travel so far.
Re: Myths or not?
definitely true about cox's but you only seem to get that nowadays if you pick them from your own trees - the cox's you get in shops are either never quite ripe or not real cox's! they are always a slightly greener shade than we pick ours at. i always shake them.
not heard the strawberry one. i would have thought it would depend on breed - or ripeness (plant ripened)
not heard the strawberry one. i would have thought it would depend on breed - or ripeness (plant ripened)
- Stokey Sue
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- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Myths or not?
The strawberries I don’t think are anything to do with English or not, my experience suggests it’s just the variety and the ones you get around midsummer/Wimbledon are most likely not to need hulling, just a gentle tug of the stalk
My suspicion, really just a guess, is that the pips don’t ripen in a way that makes them shake rattle and roll if the fruit is picked slightly underripe and kept in that computer controlled cold storage. Pick your own and keep them in an out house and the rattle will return.
My suspicion, really just a guess, is that the pips don’t ripen in a way that makes them shake rattle and roll if the fruit is picked slightly underripe and kept in that computer controlled cold storage. Pick your own and keep them in an out house and the rattle will return.
Re: Myths or not?
Talking of apple pips, have you noticed how few pips some apples have? I was wondering if they were being specially grown like that - like grapes, clementines etc without seeds?
- karadekoolaid
- Posts: 2581
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:40 pm
Re: Myths or not?
Right now, I would die for a Cox’s Orange Pippin !!!
- herbidacious
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- Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2020 4:02 pm
Re: Myths or not?
Yes my parents used to have a couple of Cox's. Definitely rattled.
I miss my apple tree, although they were rubbish apples
I miss my apple tree, although they were rubbish apples
- Pepper Pig
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- Location: North West London
Re: Myths or not?
We have a Bramley apple tree and it is wonderful. I bought it RTC in Woolworth’s the year we moved here, 1981. It was about £3. Huge crop every year, probably my most lucrative bargain ever. I will miss it when we move. Not that I’m doing much about moving.
We also have a ballerina apple tree and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single fruit on it. Or are they purely ornamental? It’s usually very pretty.
We also have a ballerina apple tree and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single fruit on it. Or are they purely ornamental? It’s usually very pretty.
- Pepper Pig
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- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:52 pm
- Location: North West London
Re: Myths or not?
There’s another ballerina next door on the other side of the fence. Might not be a pollinator though. Plenty of apple trees round here though.
Re: Myths or not?
maybe planting a universal pollinator (golden hornet crab apple is both decorative and productive) would help.
what variety is your ballerina tree? (that is just a description of its growth habit/rootstock).
what variety is your ballerina tree? (that is just a description of its growth habit/rootstock).
- Pepper Pig
- Posts: 4920
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:52 pm
- Location: North West London
Re: Myths or not?
Sorry. Absolutely no idea. Planted it years ago. It has very pretty blossom so is worth it just for that. The neighbour who planted one at the same time moved just after she gave birth to twins.The twins are now 37 . . .
I have a picture of this years blossom somewhere. Is there someone who can decant it onto here if I send it to them? Am a numpty with this board.
I have a picture of this years blossom somewhere. Is there someone who can decant it onto here if I send it to them? Am a numpty with this board.
Re: Myths or not?
Pepper Pig wrote:Sorry. Absolutely no idea. Planted it years ago. It has very pretty blossom so is worth it just for that. The neighbour who planted one at the same time moved just after she gave birth to twins.The twins are now 37 . . .
I have a picture of this years blossom somewhere. Is there someone who can decant it onto here if I send it to them? Am a numpty with this board.
I'm afraid my attempts are always a bit hit or miss so I won't volunteer and of course you all only ever see the hits and have no idea how long it may have taken me
- Stokey Sue
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- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Myths or not?
Does the ballerina flower before the Bramley, at the same time or later? That might give a clue to pollination group even if you can’t pin down the variety
Re: Myths or not?
Pepper Pig wrote:I have a picture of this years blossom somewhere. Is there someone who can decant it onto here if I send it to them? Am a numpty with this board.
try emailing the photo to yourself. if you then open the photo from the email on your phone and forward it to yourself it should ask you what size you want to send it as. you can pick a smaller size, email it back to yourself, save it to your desktop then upload it as an attachment using the tab below.
if you want me to do it for you just message me.
- PatsyMFagan
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Re: Myths or not?
PPig has asked me to re-size and post the pic of her Ballerina Apple tree ... I have to admit the blossom is spectacular
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- Pepper Pig
- Posts: 4920
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:52 pm
- Location: North West London
Re: Myths or not?
Thanks Pat, we didn’t keep it to ballerina shape.
More fall out strawberry stalks here today. English. Lady Emma.
More fall out strawberry stalks here today. English. Lady Emma.
- Pepper Pig
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- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:52 pm
- Location: North West London
Re: Myths or not?
And again today from Morries. Kevin Reeves, English strawberries from Lancashire,
- Stokey Sue
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- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Myths or not?
English strawberries from the greengrocer this morning, lovely, ripe, needed my huller
My working hypothesis is now that red fleshed strawberries need hulling, white fleshed ones like Cambridge Favourite have loose stem
I await your experimental data folks!
My working hypothesis is now that red fleshed strawberries need hulling, white fleshed ones like Cambridge Favourite have loose stem
I await your experimental data folks!
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