We have some strange fruit growing in the front garden, well strange to a lot of people who walk past and ask us what they are but obviously they're not strange to us. One walker asked what the strange hairy pears are, well they're quince, as in 'The owl and the pussycat' by Edward Lear, 'they dined on mince and slices of quince wrapped up in a five pound note', just what you need when you go to sea.
The fruit make the most fantastic jam that enhances warm and cold meats and cheese absolutely brilliantly. They're as hard as rock but follow the recipe and you end up with a beautiful pale gold jam.
Then there are the medlars, more fruit that is like a rock but you have to leave it to 'blett', basically to start rot and go all sloppy then you make the jelly which is a lovely clear amber colour. Medlar Jelly is absolutely fantastic with cooked meat too, added to gravy it enriches and intensifies the flavour, all-in-all another bit of alchemy from a fruit that is like a pebble.
Well it is until it starts to rot then it's game on.
The medlars do look like dogs arses. All puckered up.
ReplyDeleteNot the most attractive fruit, hairy too. We'll give you a jar BB
DeleteI'm glad I read this blog....I never knew that quince existed.
ReplyDeleteThe orchard and plants men use them as rootstock for the pear trees and they'll still be growing long after the pear tree is dead.
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