Wordless Wednesday--anyone know what this gorgeous fruit is?

[lorrainemt]

Comments

[olmue]

Why yes, in fact. :) It's quince. When I lived in Chile, it was all over the place. They make a very popular commercial jam from it that's as common as peanut butter is here. (Dulce de membrillo) Supposedly you eat it cooked (like a cooked apple), but I have eat plenty of them raw as well. Wash and rub off the fuzz, if there is still any on the skin, and cut up like an apple. To me it tastes like a dry and rather tart raspberry (um, the tartness is probably why people cook it).

Here's a recipe I found on line for the jam, although I haven't made it myself, and the idea of spreading it on cheese sounds kind of gross to me. (The Chileans just eat it on bread like you would any kind of jam.): http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/membrillo_quince_paste/

[lorrainemt]

Thanks for the recipe, Rose. My mom used to make quince jam and candy when I was a kid. We had a tree that we picked from every fall. So of course, it brings back all sorts of memories of picking fruit on beautiful days of yellow leaves and blue skies! Also, my husband is Spanish and they love membrillo with cheese. It's actually really tasty. :)

I was just curious how many Americans know about this wonderful fruit. Most people think it's a pear.

[olmue]

Ah, so you are already in on the secret. :)

It's funny that it's not more well known. As far as I can tell, it grows in places you'd find apples or pears. You'd think everybody would know about it.

[fabulousfrock]

Quince used to be more popular here, too. I see it pop up in research on historical foods! I wonder what happened? Of course we've just lot a lot of our food diversity anyway. Thank goodness people are interested in it again these days.

[robinellen]

Those look like lovely, ripe pears :)

[lorrainemt]

Well, they do look like lumpy pears! If you ever get a chance to try some quince jam or membrillo paste, I highly recommend it.

[barbarabaker]

I would have guessed lumpy pears. Just shows what I know - or don't know. What do they look like inside?

[lorrainemt]

They look a lot like pears inside--sort of a creamy light yellow, but they're hard and tart. Not great for eating out of hand...but oh so good cooked into a jam!

[bogwitch64]

The look like pears...or apples. Apple-pears! :)

[lorrainemt]

They do indeed, but oh, the smell is so sweet and different. It's funny because they're so tart, hardly anyone eats them raw, and maybe that's why it's not well known. But the jam is heavenly!