CALVILLE BLANCHE D’HIVER A medium to large sized cooker, grown in Europe as early as 1598 and long grown in the counties around London. It is ideal for apple tarts as it keeps its shape well when cooked and has a good, strong, rich taste, and is good for dessert when fully ripe. The tree is vigorous but medium sized, and the crop is usually good. Victorian gardeners grew the trees against a wall or under glass, for the best flavour and because chefs valued the fruit so highly.
  

 
CAMBRIDGE PIPPIN An old variety and old tree, probably over a century old, owned by Alan and Ann Herring of Pavenham, Bedford, who brought apples to us in 2006. It is not the ‘lost’ Cambridge Pippin of Thomas Rivers and not the Cambridge Pippin that is a synonym of Bedfordshire Foundling. Their house was built in the 1760s and always had an orchard attached. The tree appears to be at least 100 years old, though possibly very old. The apple name was passed on by a family friend, Mr Horace Church, who died several years ago in his mid-eighties. He was a countryman and smallholder, very precise in his knowledge and naming of fruit varieties. He knew the orchard in 1910 as a child and told a good tale of how, during World War I, he scared birds from the fruit with gravel in his shotgun. Being under-age he was allowed powder but not shot! Cambridge Pippin could only be considered dessert by those who like a sharp apple, but it is more a cooker. It needs little or no sugar or water and quickly purees in a pan or under light microwave. A medium, sometimes large, green apple, turning yellow when kept and sometimes developing pale amber flecks. It is ripe in late-September but will stay juicy and keep its flavour to the end of November.

 

CAMBUSNETHAN PIPPIN There are different provenances for this old Scottish apple. Hogg said that it originated at the ancient Cambusnethan Monastery in Stirlingshire, and that it was much valued in Scotland, where it was called ‘Cam'nethan Pippin'. Bunyard said it arose around 1750 when raised by Mr Paton, gardener at Cambusnethan House, Stirlingshire. ‘Common Ground’ have suggested it was raised near Wishaw in Clydesdale, Lanarkshire. It could be a quite ancient apple. Both Hogg and Bunyard suggest it is less suited to southern Britain where it may be second rate. A small to medium sized apple with pale lemon yellow skin and a few broken crimson streaks on the side next to the sun, sometimes with an orange flush. There is some russet over the base and around the stalk. It has a distinctive wide, open eye. The flesh is 'tender and juicy, with a mild acidity', according to Hogg. It has been used for dessert as well as for cooking. In Scotland it is ripe in October and stores to January, while in the south it is a month earlier and lasts only to Christmas. Part tip bearing.

 
CAPPER’S PEARMAIN Another old apple, extinct in Britain but reintroduced by us from the Grove research Station, Tasmania, collection of Heritage Apples in 2005. It is an old Sussex variety first recorded in 1831 (JRHS) and last heard of at an exhibition in 1895. It is a late to very late dessert apple, medium to large in size and truncate, conic in shape. The skin is orange, streaked with pale red, and flushed bright red in the sun. It has synonyms of New Ducks Bill and Winter Pearmain, reflecting the confusion that has existed with these two apples as well as Duck’s Bill and Winter Queening. Perhaps the rediscovered Capper’s Pearmain can help unlock the mystery.

 

CARLISLE CODLIN A highly respected and much planted cooking apple from Cumbria. The earliest historical reference to it was in a list of Alexander Forbes, gardener at Levens Hall Nursery, Kendal, Cumberland, in 1820. Perhaps the most complete and colourful description comes from Hogg. ‘Fit for use when no larger than a walnut, and after attaining their growth continuing in perfection as late as Christmas. If blanched in warm water, when used small, the outer rind slips off and they may be baked whole; their colour is then a transparent green; and their flavour is exquisite, resembling that of a green apricot. When it is about the size of a large nutmeg, it may be made into apple marmalade, or a dried sweetmeat, which rivals the finest Portugal plum’. The mature fruit is angular on the sides and flat at the base. The skin is smooth, 'unctuous' and pale yellow, with a few russet specks. The flesh is tender, crisp and juicy, 'with a fine brisk, and sugary flavour'. Abundant cropper, modest sized tree.

 
CAROLINE A culinary apple, dating from before 1822. It is said to have originated in the garden of the second Lord Suffield of Blickling and Gunton Hall, Norfolk and was named after his wife, Caroline, Lady Suffield. It was in the London Horticultural Society collection in 1826. The apples are medium sized, deep yellow when ripe with streaks of bright crimson, round and slightly flattened. The flesh is firm, juicy and very richly flavoured. Ripe in November and lasting to February. It has also been used as a sharp/bittersharp cider apple. Our thanks to John and Helen Hempsall for sending scion-wood.

 

CATSHEAD Also called Pig's Snout. The names come from the unusual shape of the fruit, which is tall and angular. The skin is green, turning yellow when ripe and sometimes developing a warm blush on the cheek. A very old culinary variety, mentioned by Parkinson in 1629. Large fruit, which cooks to a firm puree. Once a favourite for baked apples and apple dumplings, because of its shape. White, juicy flesh. Stores to Christmas.

 
CAUDAL MARKET An Oxfordshire apple bred by Mr F. W. Wastie of Eynsham, recorded in 1953, when it was sent to the National Fruit Trials, though it probably dates from the 1930s, when most of his many seedlings were bred. It is late season, ripe in November and lasting to the turn of the year. It is said to be a cross between Lane’s Prince Albert and Hambledon Deux Ans. Large, flattened to truncate conic, green with red stripes and dots. The flesh is crisp, acid and sweet. It keeps its shape, when cooked. Dual purpose.