1. Green Kent Cob (Aug)
Green Kent Cobnuts still surprise many consumers but they are becoming more popular in the UK. As a people we quite uniquely consume the cobnut while green. At the start of the season Kent Cobnuts have a lovely green husk and a delicious milky flavour. At this stage the Kent Cob is full of moisture.
2. Early Golden Kent Cob
As the season progresses the husks of green cobnuts very quickly become golden. The nut at this stage remains the same as the green cobnut.
3. Late Golden Kent Cob
By mid to late season the husk of the Kent Cobnut may turn dark golden or brown in colour. The nut is still full of moisture and is very tasty despite the outwardly darker husk. Some claim that later in the season cobnuts have improved flavours but this is a matter of preference. At Roughway our ‘Green/Golden Cobnuts’ usually incorporate stages 1-3.
4. Early Dehusked Kent Cob (Sept-Oct)
It is possible with some effort to begin dehusking Kent Cobnuts in the Golden stages. These dehusked cobnuts are usually moist and similar to green cobnuts. The shells at this stage are usually greener and as time progresses will darken.
5. Late/Natural Dehusked Kent Cob (Oct - Onwards)
Eventually the husk will fall off, disintegrate or be very easy to remove. The shell of the nut at this stage is usually darker than early dehusked. The nuts are very flavoursome and have a more distinctive flavour that can be less milky than the green cobnut. As time progresses this nut will slowly dry, traditionally these nuts are perfect for Christmas eating. Roughway Farm’s ‘Kent Cobnut Gift Bags’ usually contain early and late dehusked cobnuts.
However....
Due to modern farming techniques a lot of the stages can now crossover. This means that customers have greater choice and can get their preferred cobnuts for longer or earlier. It is important to remember that a lot of the changes to the Kent Cob are superficial and the nut still remains flavoursome and delicious. So if you find a Kent cobnut that has a dark husk it may well still have an excellent nut waiting inside!
Rob McElwee recently visited Roughway to find out more about the Kent Cobnut and the different stages. Read More Here
