After more than 6 years of searching the nooks and crannies of Dorset for the remnants of the county’s old orchards, Nick Poole and Liz Copas have brought together their findings in a booklet to be released in mid-April.
Entitled The DATA Project:The Search for Dorset’s Lost Cider Apples, the booklet includes a brief history of the project, how the trees and their identity were discovered and what thoughts and conclusions can be drawn on the taste of traditional Dorset cider from around the county.
In total, 38 cider apple varieties are described, some may be familiar like Kings Favourite, and many can be found on old lists, like Ironsides, Warrior and Golden Bittersweet. Sadly the names of many rediscovered trees have been lost. These are renamed with a local connection, like Marnhull Mill. There are full descriptions with tips for identifying the apples and colour pictures of each variety together with notes on their juice quality and cider making prospects.
The booklet will cost £4 and is available from Liz. Contact her direct:
ISBN 798-0-9568994-1-5 paperback