insideKENT Magazine Issue 79 - October 2018 | Page 111

FOOD+DRINK
ALL ABOUT
Kentish Cobnuts
ROUGHWAY FARM IN TONBRIDGE WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE 1960S AND IS STILL GOING
STRONG TODAY. YOU CAN FIND RASPBERRIES, APPLES, PLUMS, CHERRIES, GREENGAGES
AND, OF COURSE, THE FAMOUS KENT COBNUT GROWN HERE. NOT MANY COUNTIES CAN
CLAIM THEIR OWN DISTINCTIVE NUT, AND OUR COBNUT IS SOMETHING TO BE VERY PROUD
OF INDEED. insideKENT SPOKE TO TOM CANNON FROM ROUGHWAY FARM ABOUT JUST
WHAT MAKES THE COBNUT SO SPECIAL, AND WHY THEY ARE PARTICULAR TO KENT.
Hi Tom. What exactly are cobnuts?
Kentish Cobnuts are a tasty and cultivated
variety of hazelnut full of protein and vitamins.
A Kent cobnut is much larger than a hazelnut
that you may find in a fruit and nut bar; these
tend to be circular, whereas the Kent cobnut
is much longer and oval in shape. Kent
cobnuts are also a variety in themselves –
other cobnut varieties include Gunslebert and
Ennis cobnuts, each with unique flavours and
characteristics. Think how a Bramley apple is
different to a Gala; they’re both apples but very
different. At the farm, we have a national
collection with over 50 varieties and they vary
widely. One of the unique things about
cobnuts is that they are eaten when the husk
is green and the kernel (the bit you eat) is fresh
and juicy. They then sweeten as the moisture
content drops, so there is a long season for
people to enjoy, particularly with the sweeter
nuts by Christmas.
Why do they grow so well in Kent?
Cobnut growing in Kent can be traced right
back to the Roman period. The county has
rich soils and excellent conditions for growing
cobnuts. The name for a cobnut field is a plat
and these are particularly unique to the Kentish
landscape. There is a rich history of cobnut
growing throughout the county. At Roughway
Farm we are located on the Greensand Ridge
and have excellent soils and light conditions.
What can they be used for?
Kent cobnuts are great on their own when
fresh and green, but also later when sweeter.
They are a refreshing and delicious treat and
also highly nutritional. We have a few
scrumptious recipes over on our website.
These include a cobnut pesto, torte and biscotti
recipe.
https://roughwayfarm.co.uk/portfolio/
chocolate-and-cobnut-torte
https://roughwayfarm.co.uk/portfolio/
cobnut-pesto
https://roughwayfarm.co.uk/
the-farm/recipes
Can people grow their own?
Yes, people can grow their own. They take a
few years until cropping significantly and they
need to be kept well pruned.
Can you tell us a little about your farm and
why you chose to grow cobnuts there?
We have grown cobnuts for generations. John
Cannon grew up farming and started farming
cobnuts. My uncle, Giles Cannon, now runs
the farm and supplies cobnuts to Morrisons
and Waitrose. I run the farm’s website and I
am also working on diversification initiatives.
We have some exciting cobnut products that
we hope to launch in the coming months.
www.roughwayfarm.co.uk
Are they seasonal?
Yes, they are harvested between late August
and early September.
How should cobnuts be stored?
Cobnuts should be stored in the salad drawer
and kept cool to remain fresh and
scrumptious. But, if you leave them to dry out
they will sweeten.
USE CODE insideKENT10
TO RECEIVE A 10 PER CENT
DISCOUNT ON ALL ORDERS OF
GREEN AND DEHUSKED COBNUTS
FROM ROUGHWAY FARM UNTIL
18TH DECEMBER.
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