The Incredible Quince Fruit
/Fuzzy, yellow and knobbly, quince are a strange looking fruit, but don’t be fooled - they’re delicious!
The name quince comes from its yellow and almost golden colour when ripe. When unripe, quinces are green and round with tiny grey bristles covering the skin. Either way, quinces give off a heady, floral pleasant scent. The Greek word for quince is kythoni (or kydoni). The quince originated from Kydonia on the island of Crete, and there it has transformed from a sacred ancient Greek fruit to the Mediterranien fruit we know and love today. Quinces are generally found in warmer climates, since it needs warmth in order to ripen.
History of Quince
Quince is actually one of the oldest fruits. Its beauty (it’s a pretty looking thing) and its sweet taste tempted many in myths and religions - it’s actually one of the only fruits mentioned in the bible! In Ancient Greece, it was common to give quinces as a wedding gift to honour the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. The brides would use the fruit to perfume some of the rooms. Many believe that the ‘golden apple’ that Paris gives Aphrodite in the ‘Judgement of Paris’ Greek myth, is not an apple at all, but a quince.
Quince Health Benefits
Quince is filled with an abundance of antioxidants, such as phenolic and phytonutrient which help prevent cancer by elimination free radicals. Quince is also high in dietary fibre, helping improve the digestive system. Additionally, the high levels of vitamin C found in quinces can help boost the immune system, as well as helping keep skin healthy and vibrant.
How to Eat Quince
As beautiful as they are on the outside, quinces are fruit that cannot be eaten as is - well, unless you’re brave. Raw quince if hard and bitter. This beautiful fruit is really enhanced when heat is applied.As quince is high in pectin (a naturally-occurring thickening agent mainly found in the skin) it makes it ideal to turn into jam, jelly and paste. The most common recipes are compote, jams, pudding and our favourite- quince paste.
Quince Paste Recipe by Julie Goodwin (Masterchef Season 1 Winner)
Ingredients:
4 quinces, cored and cut into 3cm pieces (skin on)
White sugar (equal to the quince)
Method:
Place the chopped quinces in a pot and just cover with water. Simmer for 45 minutes or until soft.
Using a hand-held stick mixer, puree the quince until completely smooth. Measure the puree (it will be around 5 cups) and measure out an equal amount of white sugar.
Place the puree and the sugar in the bowl of a slow cooker and set to the high setting. Cook for 6 hours.
The quince will become a beautiful ruby colour and be quite stretchy and thick.
Pour into a square baking dish lined with cling wrap and set in the fridge overnight.
Cut into squares and store in the fridge wrapped in cling wrap.
Original source cooking with quince.