Over the past seven years, Raymond Blanc has planted an orchard of 2,500 trees in the grounds of his hotel-restaurant Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire. Yielding about 60 tonnes of fruit for his kitchen each year, it is full of ancient and forgotten varieties of British apples and pears, along with quince, medlars, apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums, damsons and cherries. A further 600 heritage fruit trees have been added from Raymond's home in the Franche-Comté region of France.

The Lost Orchard is a love letter to each of these varieties, complete with fascinating information, historical anecdotes, along with a selection of recipes showcasing the best ways of cooking with the fruit. The book was illustrated by the amazing linocut artist Claire Melinsky!