Why autumn is secretly the BEST time in England
I’d put pumpkin spice in my coffee and forgotten the milk. The handle on my milk frother had already fallen off and been stuck back on, but it was still holding.
I know people think pumpkin spice is stupid. I don’t care. Have you even tried it?
I used to be a summertime girly, but after a decade of living in England, I’m an autumn girly. For me, autumn starts on 1 September, even if there’s a heatwave. Lately, I’ve been having a hot coffee and playing a little Breath of the Wild in my pyjamas before I start the day.
The pears were a distraction
I’d wanted to go apple picking for a long time without ever making the effort, so I finally went to Brogdale. It was my first time picking my own fruit and felt like exactly the sort of English autumn activity I wanted to try.
Except I was so hot I took my coat off.
There was far more there than I’d expected on this special pear weekend, including a room where you could try different pears while a woman explained their history. I’d thought I was going apple picking, but suddenly I was getting apple and pear history too.
I went to the pears first, although I’d never really considered pear picking, and felt a bit overwhelmed by how many there were. One of the workers explained that pears keep ripening after you pick them, which I’d never thought about either.
After spending much longer with the pears than I’d expected, I had enough pears and needed to move on to the apples. Then I spotted another good pear.
Eventually, I got to the apple orchard, where there were bright red apples, golden-looking apples, tiny ones and ones that looked brown. I wanted a mix of different colours and shapes, with enough eating apples to make a crumble using fruit I’d picked myself.
Even while I was still in the first orchard, I kept getting distracted by another tree. It was a little overwhelming, but apple picking was so much fun.
Crumble before dinner
Back home, I took the fruit out of the tote bags and rinsed it. My plan for the pears was to keep most in the fridge and bring a few out at a time to ripen. I was excited to try the different varieties, but I didn’t want them all ready at once.
For the crumble, I used half supermarket Bramley cooking apples and half eating apples from Brogdale. I hadn’t tried this recipe before and wanted to see what the different apples would do to the texture and sweetness.
Waiting is the hardest part. I don’t normally wait, but this time I let the crumble cool for about 20 minutes after baking.
Oh my God. The cinnamon and nutmeg came through, the apples still had a little bite, and the demerara sugar on top was crunchy. It was a little wet and I thought it would settle more as it cooled properly, but it was still so good. I was supposed to be having dinner soon.
I also really like cold crumble, when it’s a bit stodgy.
A T-shirt sort of autumn
On another day, I went into Canterbury for lunch and a wander in a T-shirt, with blue sky and a high of 22 degrees. The weather needed to make up its mind.
After lunch and a walk, I stopped in Westgate Gardens, one of my favourite little pit stops when it’s quiet, and early on a weekday it was perfect. When it’s heaving? No, thank you.
There was a chill in the shade, enough to give me goosebumps on my legs. I wished I’d brought my Kindle so I could sit there with a book.
The cardigan isn’t finished
I’ve made blankets before, but the cardigan I’ve been crocheting at home in the evenings is my first attempt at clothing. I’ve learned to make cuffs and I’m working on the white border.
The cardigan isn’t quite the right shape, and measuring is not my strong suit. By the time I finish, it’ll probably be too cold to wear it.
And it’s just hit me how many apples and pears I still have to use.
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