Worcester Apples form a group of which the Worcester Pearmain is the best known.
Firm, sweet flesh with a strawberry flavour is characteristic of them.
Pearmain is the oldest English apple name. It was recorded in a Norfold document of 1204. The name is derived from the old French apple name of “parmain” or “permain” and refers to a group of apples rather than a single variety.
All that the modern Pearmains have in common is their green and red colouring typical of many apples. The Pearmain which has a good, sharp flavour with a hint of strawberry. It has a crisp texture when fresh but does not keep very well. Its season is early autumn. Most other Pearmains ripen later.
Others in the Worcester family include Benn’s Red (an old Cornish apple),
Tydeman’s Early Worcester,
and Duchess of Oldenburg,
By September they tend to be over sweet. They are best eaten immediately after picking but can be used in cooking.
