Autumn 2023

EVENT NEWS
Apple Fayre 2023
Presents “Cranplona”
As I write, the Kentish orchards are looking
wonderfully full of fruit, an amazing mix of
different types of apple growing side by side
in beautifully laid out fields intermingled
with forest and arable land. We really are
very lucky to have all this
on our doorstep, lovingly
tended throughout the
year by our farmers. Big
thanks to them for all
they do.
My second thought
after apples is, of course,
cider. I must confess that
when Philip Mummery
and I first discussed
the Apple Fayre in
Cranbrook our desire
was for a kind of cider
festival in the town. The
idea was rejected, which
made us think instead of
a celebration of our great
local fruit, the apple. The
Apple Fayre concept was
approved so all we had to do was to try and
work out what it would entail and nearly 20
years later, we still don’t know!
VOILÀ; CIDER WAS BORN IN KENT!
Regarding cider, the Romans brought the
apple to Kent first, then to the rest of Britain.
Around the year 600, monasteries started
growing apples for monks to drink and to
preserve the juice and Voilà; cider was born
in Kent! The Normans planted more orchards
and brought better cidermaking skills,
allowing the drink to be more available to the
public.
Between the 16th and 19th centuries,
Europe was hit by a “Little Ice Age”, a time
when the River Thames froze over each
year and weaker plants
were killed off by the
cold weather, including
all the grapevines.
Winemaking in Europe
halted and Kent tucked
into cider. Currently the
UK drinks more cider
that any other country
in the world, we actually
drink more cider than all
the other countries in
the world combined. Not
bad eh?
There is evidence that
the champagne making
method actually was
invented in England by
Sir Kenelem Digby back
in 1663 to make fizzy
cider in reinforced glass bottles. All this was
five years before the French monk credited
with the méthode champenoise had been
born.
So please show a preferential interest in
the English Apple when shopping and come
and taste the local ciders on offer at the
Apple Fayre in Cranbrook on 7 October. It is
without a shadow of a doubt the best tasting
fruit around, and one that makes the best
summer drink on earth. Cheers!
Stuart Cleary, co-founder of the Apple Fayre
Cranbrook on
the Green
Well done all you Cranbrookians for making
the third Cranbrook on the Green such a
success, despite the rain!
A downpour can make the difference
between a good show and a washout, but
we were lucky this year that it just couldn’t
make its mind up until a good bit later into
the day. We didn’t have as many classic cars
(full marks to those who made it) because of
the forecast. We didn’t have as many dogs
because a wet fur coat just looks wet, no
matter how long the dog owner has spent
grooming and combing. There weren’t quite
as many ice creams sold either, but most
stalls enjoyed the day and will be back next
year. It’s all part of outdoor fun in England.
BEST PARTY GOERS
The axe throwers loved it, Delbert Fandango
and the Japanese Munchweeds tore into
their songs like they were headlining
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14 The Cake • Autumn 2023