Quinces – which should be on everyone’s fruit tree list
So quince trees should be on anyone’s fruit tree list. The Romans knew all about them, particularly their aromatic qualities, and brought branches into the house to fill rooms with the scent of their blossom. It isn’t known where they originated, but they are probably wild in parts of Asia, Turkey, Iran and in Saudi Arabia. Quinces predate the apple in culinary history and it is thought that it was a quince, not an apple, that caused all that trouble in the Garden of Eden. In mythology, Paris gave Aphrodite ‘a golden apple’ – a quince – as a symbol of love, marriage and fertility. When the large, golden pear-shaped fruits have adorned the tree, they then can be used in pies, jellies and to add flavour to many fruit dishes, especially apple-based recipes. They are popular in Europe: in Spain they make a paste called ‘membrillo’, in France a similar one called ‘cotignac’, and in Argentina and Chile, where they are widely grown, ‘dulce de membrillo’. Quinces like a deep, rich soil that is not too limy. They also like warmth, so plant the tree in a sunny spot, but they are quite hardy. Liking moisture, they were often planted by ponds, but that’s not essential – a damp area of the garden will do just as well. Late October is a good time to plant a quince tree. The planting hole should be large enough to take the roots easily. Stake the young tree in its first year, keeping the surround clear of grass and weeds, then in spring add a mulch of compost or manure. As the tree grows, thin out any over-crowded branches in winter. Quinces can also be cordon-trained against a wall or fence, training the branches and tying them in. They are self-fertile, with pollination by bees. The blossom appears later than apples and pears, a good thing in cold springs. Pick quinces in mid-autumn, before the first frosts. Find a cool, dark place to store them on trays on their own as their strong scent taints other crops. They will only keep for a few weeks, so get cooking with them as soon as you can. Quince is too hard to be eaten raw. It will go a pinkish shade when it is stewed. Slices of quince in an apple pie or crumble will give added flavour – in fact, you can use quinces as part of or as a substitute for apples in any apple recipe. Bake halved quinces – their juice becomes a syrup. Put some in with a roast or a casserole. Quinces have been used to make wine and cider, the wine popular during the nineteenth century when quinces were commonly grown. It reputedly benefits asthma sufferers. Traditional fruit cheeses should be resurrected in our cooking – no harder to make than jam. To make quince cheese, stew 4lb (2 kg) of ripe, scrubbed, chopped quinces in water (just enough to cover). When softened, sieve and pulp. Weigh the pulp and return it to the stove, adding the same weight of sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then boil until the cheese thickens. Turn the cheese out into small, warm jars, brushed inside with glycerine. Seal the hot surface with a waxed disc and cover as you would any jam or jelly. They contain a lot of pectin so quinces are perfect in making jellies and many people like quince jelly with cold meat. Constance Spry’s recipe for quince and apple jelly is very reliable, and it uses up windfall apples as well, and makes a lovely coloured amber-coloured jelly that will keep until you start over again next October.
Quince and Apple Jelly
Wash the fruit and remove any blemished parts, then cut up and put in a pan with water to cover the fruit. Simmer until pulpy. Turn into a jelly bag and strain overnight. Measure the juice and measure out 1lb (0.5 kg) sugar to every pint (500ml) of juice. Rub the pan (a preserving pan is preferable, otherwise the largest pan you have) with a piece of cut lemon. Put the juice and sugar in the pan, add the lemon juice and rinds tied together (or tied up in a small piece of muslin). Bring to the boil slowly, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Boil rapidly, skimming off some of the scum, then test: a spoonful should crinkle up as it cools on a saucer. Ladle into dry, warmed jars, adding a piece of lemon peel to each jar if you like to do so. Store in a cool, dark cupboard.
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Quinces deserve to be more widely grown. Its blossom is arguably better than apple blossom, with larger fluttering petals and has a fantastic scent. It doesn’t grow too large, turns golden yellow in autumn and the fruit is more versatile than you’d think.