The Big Little Fruit Campaign

Highlighting neglected culinary fruits

Among the many fruits we could love more are bullaces, white- and blackcurrants, tayberries, medlars and less well-known culinary varieties of apple and pear.

6 REASONS TO LOVE CULINARY FRUITS:

1. We need fruit for health

Fresh fruit everyday prevents a wide range of illnesses. Science continues to confirm our need for fruit.

2. A taste for fruit

Healthy eating means getting a taste for healthy fruits.

The all-year availability of some fruits has restricted our tastes. Modern eating habits encourage us to eat alone, resulting in a narrow, repetitive diet.

Healthy eating means sharing a taste for fruits and celebrating fresh fruit together.

3. Our fruit breeding heritage

Britain has a rich heritage of plant breeding, resulting in thousands of cultivars (bred varieties) of fruit. This is an on-going tradition that needs to be revived for fruits that suit our climate.

4. Our cookery heritage

Old cookery books are treasure-chests of recipes for seasonal fruit. Let’s build an on-going tradition of fruit cookery in the twenty-first century.

5. Time to diversify?

Many orchards and fruits have declined for economic reasons. With changes in subsidies to farmers comes a chance to farm creatively and better serve local markets for fruit.

6. Make the most of the seasons

Ripe fruit in season is a delight, but our seasons for fruit are restricted by the prevalence of a few highly commercial cultivars and by imports.

The first calendar below shows the main commercial season for fresh British plums (dark sections). The second shows a longer season that could result from using a wider range of varieties.

Debbie Hearn's vision for British Culinary Fruit