Tasting notes

What happened when a photographer got his hands on an orchard

The photographer who took over an orchard

THROUGH THE EYES of a photographer, orchards present a beautifully polarised world. ‘Blossom in spring is insanely frenetic,’ says Stuart Ovenden, who’s been cultivating his small, 15-tree collection of apples, pears, cherries, quinces, medlars and plums for two years. ‘Then you have the growth in the summer, and, in autumn, a sort of fermenty smell when the apples have fallen.’ In threadbare winter the leafless trees look lifeless. Right about now, however, Ovenden’s first Discoveries will be ready – his favourite apple variety for their taste: ‘a bit like strawberry’.

He has been capturing his Hampshire plot, and scenes at the larger community orchard a few miles away, as well as meals he makes with his harvests, fitting in sessions here and there around his day job as a professional photographer – and the result is The Orchard Cook, published by Clearview (£25). The collection of recipes is an exploration of a childhood fascination (ever since Ovenden passed daily through the village orchard on his way to school) and a subconscious pull towards autumnal comforts in adulthood. There are pies and tarts (rum and russet; deep-filled apple and raisin), but so much else besides. Fresh cherries are teamed with confit duck in chilli-flecked tacos, while Ovenden tips fruit with seafood, especially pan-fried scallops with apple matchsticks and crab-apple jelly. ‘If you have a nice fresh apple and a lovely oyster, too, it works really well.’

It’s not just fruit he celebrates – the kernel of the St Lucie cherry can be ground to make mahleb spice, and woods can be smoked. You’ll want to go scrumping immediately.

Top An apple tree captured in The Orchard Cook. RightApples growing on the branch; Stuart Ovenden in his kitchen