The annual competitions for the Tastiest Apple and the Tastiest Tomato were held in Kent from 21st-22nd October at the 76th National Fruit Show.

The whole length of the exhibition of show fruit – Norman Collett one of the three principal sponsors in the background. Hadlow College, Norman Collett and BASF are key sponsors and supporters of the National Fruit Show.New apple variety Cameo, grown by Kent fruit growers Nigel and Annette Bardsley, was the tastiest apple and baby plum tomato variety, Santini grown by Andy Roe of Flavourfresh Salads, in Lancashire, won the tastiest tomato competition.

The winning apples were grown in Nigel and Annette Bardsley’s orchards at River Farm, near Staplehurst in the Weald of Kent. The family have been growing Cameo for five years and are thrilled to have won the award for the Tastiest Apple this year. As Nigel says, “this is a splendid result for a new variety to be picked by the judges and win against strong competition from existing English apple varieties like Cox and Gala.”

Cameo is a late season apple, picked in October and will be in the shops from January. It is a lovely looking red apple but the real secret is that it is wonderfully crisp with a sweet juicy bite finishing with a tremendous burst of apple flavour.

Plum tomato Santini has already been a winner for flavour at the Totally Tomato Show organised by the British Tomato Growers’ Association in September.

Notes to Editors:  For more information about Cameo apples click here. For more information about British tomatoes click here.