Quince and Medlars

Medlars and quince are two curious fruits which were better known in the past and are referred to in literature. The medlar has a vulgar alternative name which I am sure someone will post.

Medlars are 'bletted' with means left to go semi rotten before being eaten with a small spoon, watching out for pips. They are also used to make preserves such as medlar jelly, whcih I thk is eaten with roast meat. A few people ask for them. Not everyone's cup of tea. Incidentally, I noticed 2 large medlars laden with fruit in the grounds of Wells cathedral when we visited there 4 years ago.

Quince are used to flavour apple dishes, or in slow meat casserole cookery like Lamb tagine, or boiled up with sugar to make a Spanish delicacy called Dulce de Membrillo which is eaten with cheese. Don't ask me for recipes, Google some. You cannot eat raw quince, it is rock hard.

These trees were planted thoughtlessly, or else they were planted in the right place and I was being thoughtless when I planted a spinney of larch and spruce right next to them. The larger trees now block out their light and they are overgrown and neglected. This has affected the quince more than the medlars, which seem quite happy to be growing in shade. Whatever, a planning mistake. I might just dig up the quince trees and move them this winter. To be honest I had forgotten they were there.

Not fruits for the survivalist, but interesting curiosities for the person who likes to pull surprises out of the hat at dinner parties. The quince is more use than the medlar. Both are attractive things to put in the fruit bowl and look at.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• quince
• medlar
• fruitwise

[hxzxxl]

i dont think that quince is ripe; you can eat them raw. i've eaten them raw many times before. i didn't know anyone ate them cooked :p but it makes sense. i love these things :D

[stephenhayesuk]

@hxzxxl Perhaps I will try some raw quince this year sliced very thin, but I have only ever come across them used cooked. Its all a matter of taste I suppose.

[crowldawg]

I love Wikipedia I'll let someone else post ithe other name .LMAO

[stephenhayesuk]

as you say crowldawg, a very through write up on medlars at Wikipedia.

I thought medlars were mentioned in Shakespeare, now I see they were mentioned by Chaucer too! and they are still popular in parts of Iran! Just goes to show how fashions change.

[DamonBKnox]

Do you know a good link for proper directions on transplanting a tree about this size? There is a wild persimmon in the forest next to my house that I would love to move into my orchard for my father.

[stephenhayesuk]

no, but I hope to film videos this winter showing how to straighten up a bent tree and move a big tree.

Nothing clever about it, just a lot of graft. Dig the tree out in winter with as much roots as humanly possible, wrap the roots and adhering earth in a tarpaulin and move as quickly and carefully as you can to a previously prepared planting hole. Stake carefully, water and mulch well in the growing season, no fruit allowed in year one, you will hopefully get away with it. No harm trying.

[ChannelFadge]

picked up some meddlars at a christmas market today...Im excited for them to get nice and rotten :)

[786baqi]

in central asia we cover quince in a towel and beat them with a hammer. some sort of chemical reaction I think takes place and they become juicy. very refreshing :)

[sysjkb]

@stephenhayesuk & @hxzxxl -- not all quince varieties can be eaten raw, and some of those varieties need a very long time to fully ripen.

[BluefruitNMusicSnow]

Good info. :)

Does anyone know how many calories are in a quince and if they are high in any vitamins?

[MrRoachclips]

thank you for the informational video.

[LaoSoftware]

Quince is native to Asia.

[albstralian]

oh did u say u can only eat quince when its cooked? thats not true lol, i just ate a raw quince before watching this. just slice it up like you would an apple skin and all (although it can be a very hard fruit..) and enjoy :)) it has a nice taste and interesting texture- very dense/hard when u bite it but gets juicy in your mouth!

[albstralian]

oh my GOD i was looking for videos on quinces and ran into this... i never knew there is an english word for the first fruit... medlar? haha!! we have them in albania and call them Mushmulla, but i absolutely have not been able to find any in australia or anywhere else really!! awesome!!! i love them!! by the way, u dont have to eat the inside only with a spoon, u can eat it with your hands- and we also eat the skin, its great!