National Bramley Apple Week -  6th-12th February 2012

The English apple is a favourite orchard fruit. There are over 2,300 varieties of dessert and cooking apples. Bramley apples are grown only in Britain and are highly recognised as the best apples for cooking! Their unique qualities make them one of the most versatile ingredients, in a savoury dishes or the traditional apple pie. For more information www.bramleyapples.co.uk

Find out more about our healthy apple pie recipe made with olive oil pastry.

Research has shown that modern Greeks, despite a wanting health care system, have a longer life expectancy and the world's lowest rates of heart disease and cancer, as well as the lowest mortality rate due to cardiovascular ailments.

A 30 year study on the Greek island of Crete confirmed that this is true due to the extensive consumption of olive oil there (30 litres per person annually). Overall, Greeks consume 23 litres per person of olive oil annually, as compared to 12 litres for Italians and ¼ litre for North Americans respectively. And since many research projects have shown that the composition of olive oil greatly depends on climatic conditions, soil quality and fruit variety, it is not hard to conclude that there must be something special about Greek olive oil.

In Ancient Greece, the pomegranate was the traditional representation of fertility. This is because pomegranate had a key role in the Greek myth of Persephone; the myth which explains the origin of the seasons!

According to the myth, beautiful Persephone, daughter of Demeter, the Goddess of Harvest, was kidnapped by Hades, the Lord of the Underworld. Her mother Demeter, heart-broken by the loss of her daughter, started crying and crying and in her grief neglected her role as nourisher of the earth, and life began to wither away.

Zeus, the King of the Gods, could not leave the earth to die and commanded Hades to release Persephone. The rules of the Underworld forbade anybody from consuming any food or drink or they would spend an eternity there. Before Persephone could be released she was tempted by Hades into eating a few pomegranate seeds. This marked the end of her life on earth, as the rules of the Underworld had to be obeyed.

And so it was that Zeus had to make a deal with Hades: Persephone would stay and marry Hades and be the Queen of the Underworld for half of the year only. When Persephone is in the Underworld, Demeter makes winter and the days are dark and cold. When Persephone returns to earth, spring comes and the flowers start to bloom again...

Pomegranates have a shiny firm skin which contains around 600 bright pink seeds. They have an aromatic sweet but sharp juice that gives delight to salads, desserts and savoury dishes. They are in season from December to February.

The pomegranate is rich in antioxidant properties, potassium, fibre, niacin and vitamin C. Hippocrates recommended pomegranate as a laxative.