We may be in the midst of summer, with our Instagram feeds filled with hot holiday destinations and back-to-school tips, but before we know it, it'll be autumn and the weather will turn cooler.
In preparation for cosy nights in, Jamie Oliver has seen a huge spike in interest in his crumble recipes – and we can see why. The warming dessert is a personal favourite of mine, with the tartness of fruit offset perfectly by the sweet crunch of the crumble topping. Add a creamy custard, and voila, you have the best comfort food to round out your dinner.
Instead of heading to the supermarket for your apple, blackberry or rhubarb, why not make a family day of it and track down fruit fields so you can make the entire dessert from scratch? These are surprisingly close to London, and they're on my must-visit list this August…
Jamie Oliver's recipes
"Ok all this talk of blackberries and you lot have gone wild searching for crumble recipes on my website!! So let's have a bit of fun, shall we....You can only have one crumble for the rest of your life, which would you choose???
"1) Berry & almond crumble, 2) Classic apple crumble, 3) Stone fruit crumble," he asked fans. Understandably, the responses were mixed, with many rushing to the comments section to defend the classic apple recipe, while others revealed rhubarb or berry were their favourites.
Interestingly, research from English Heritage has found that classic British puddings are on the verge of extinction, with only 2 per cent of households making a daily homemade pudding.
There has been a steady decline since the 1970s, with nearly half (49 per cent) of those born before 1970 saying that their parents made puddings several times a week, even during the hottest days of summer, compared to only 14 per cent of 18-24-year-olds today.
With a bigger focus on health and nutrition and a move away from sugary desserts, as well as the fact that households are often time-poor, it's not surprising to hear that 35 per cent reportedly don't make any dessert at all anymore. But when they do, crumbles remain among the top choices!
Are you among that percentage? I certainly am, which is why I'm heading to these fruit fields before it's too late…
Fruit fields near London
Garsons Farm, Esher
Drive time from London: 1 hour 7 minutes
With a long history dating back to 1861, Garsons Farm know a thing or two about fruit. Set on 155 acres, it's one of the UK's largest pick-your-own (PYO) farms offering everything from cooking apples to plums and raspberries.
For ease, it even has a 'What's Picking Today?' page that tells visitors the crops that are ready right now. Tickets cost £2.50 and must be pre-booked.
© Getty ImagesGray's Farm, Wokingham
Drive time from London: 1 hour 16 minutes
Open Monday to Saturday, Gray's Farm offers a range of crops, with the top advertised on their website being rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and red currants – all key crumble ingredients.
HELLO!'s Travel Editor, Francesca Shillcock, grew up close to the farm, and said: "Gray's Farm has such special memories for me. I used to love nothing more than going there with my brothers and my friends to pick some strawberries as a child; it was the perfect summer activity.
"And it's not just strawberries you can pick. At Gray's PYO, you can even collect spinach, beetroot, beans, rhubarb and more goods. It's also conveniently located opposite Holme Grange Craft Village where they have lovely little boutiques to explore, children's play areas and cute cafes to grab a coffee and a slice of cake." Consider us sold!
Parkside Farm, Enfield
Drive time from London: 1 hour 18 minutes
If you live in North London like me, it's worth making a trip to Parkside Farm, which is 30 minutes from King's Cross to Gordon Hill station, or just over an hour in the car. After paying £4 for entry and selecting a time for your two-hour slot, you'll be able to pick raspberries, strawberries and blackberries, but the website warns to get there early to avoid being disappointed with the popular berries.
Home Cottage Farm, Iver
Drive time from London: 1 hour
Renovated in 1975, this soft fruit and apple farm situated in Buckinghamshire has a whopping 18 apple and pear varieties, as well as raspberries, plums, damsons and blackberries available to pick in August, September and October.
Just check out their handy growing calendar to work out when to visit to bag your favourite fruits. It's open on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
When is the best time to pick fruits?
© Getty ImagesAs always, it's important to check the websites to see when each PYO has readily available fruit.
Typically, August is a good time of year for strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries, while you'll need to wait until September or October to find some apples, plums and pears.
