Jane Steward of Eastgate Larder has been a driving force in reviving the popularity of the Medlar – an old English tree whose fruit was once Britain’s most fashionable sweet treat. Jane has become the country’s most revered expert on the medlar; her book Medlars, Growing and Cooking published in 2023 was shortlisted in the Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards and is considered the most comprehensive guide to this ancient fruit. She has won numerous awards for her medlar jelly and other products that she sells under the Eastgate Larder brand name and through a range of independent delicatessens and food shops across the UK.