Writer Pete Brown follows the cycle of an orchard's year to illuminate the hand-in-hand history of humanity and our most familiar fruit.

From its origins in Kazakhstan, its spread along the old spice roads and into mythology, the apple is now an all-year round supermarket staple. Changing consumer tastes, and supermarket insistence upon 'perfect fruit', places huge stress upon growers. It also affects the ways in which scientists develop new apple varieties - a typical apple test trial can take twenty to twenty-five years, when, after vigorous testing, of the initial twenty-thousand seeds planted an average of six new commercial apple cultivars will emerge. But will the public like one them enough to change from buying Gala, Jazz or Pink Lady?

Pete Brown has written several books on food and drink, including Man Walks into a Pub, Three Sheets to the Wind, and Shakespeare's Local. He is a judge for the Great Taste Awards and the Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards, and is a frequent contributor to the Food Programme.

Written and read by Pete Brown

Abridged by Laurence Wareing

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. Show less