What is Quince?
A quince is a fruit resembling a pear that was first cultivated in the Middle East. In fact, the proverbial apple offered to Adam by Eve may actually be more accurately translated as a quince. Quinces cannot be eaten like pears or apples, with the exception of the less cultivated pineapple variety, but need to be baked or frozen to eliminate their acidity.
Once ripened, the yellowish fruit still has a hard exterior, much like a winter squash. If one is not using quinces immediately, cooking guides recommend storing them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The seeds are poisonous and should be discarded. The core of the quince is very hard, but using a sharp paring knife will divest the quince of both the unusable core and the dangerous seeds.
Though the interior of the quince is white when raw, cooking will turn the flesh a deep red. Quinces, like apples, contain a lot of pectin, so they are frequently used for jams and jellies. Modern American recipes also suggest replacing one third of the apples in an apple pie with quince slices to add a bit of tartness and interest to the traditional apple pie.
In the Middle East and the Mediterranean, traditional recipes over a thousand years old call for stewing quince with pork, lamb or goat. Cultivation of the quince moved westward with the expanding Roman Empire, and countries like England and France made jams and fruit paste with quinces. In the Middle Ages, England's first marmalade was made not with oranges, but quinces.
The French developed a fruit preserve in the Middle Ages called Contignac d'Orleans. One legend states a gift of Contignac d'Orleans was given to Joan of Arc when she ended the siege of Orleans. Germany makes a fruit juice from quinces that is said to blend well with sweeter juices.
Colonists brought quinces to the Americas, but the fruit was vulnerable to fireblight, which can destroy a whole orchard in one season. There are now few orchards in North America. South American quinces fared better, and the quince is abundant in Uruguay and Argentina.
In Western cultures, quinces fell out of popularity in the 19th century. Tropical fruits had become more readily available and were preferred. Today the quince is making a comeback, and fine chefs are using the quince again to create varied and interesting recipes, or reviving usage based on Middle Eastern cuisine.
Quinces are seasonal and can be found in autumn to early winter. Since quinces are not frequent ingredients in most American cooking, one may have to look for them in Middle Eastern or Hispanic food markets. One reward of a bit of extra shopping, however, is the pleasant release of a perfume-like aroma as the fruit ripens. Women in ancient Rome were said to take a bite of the quince before their first kiss with their husbands.
Distinct from the fruit-bearing variety of quince is the ornamental quince. This variety is the herald of spring for many in the US. These hedges bloom in mid January and have deep pink petals, which are a pleasing contrast to the dark, bare wood. The ornamental quince bears no fruit, and survives well in North American climates. In contrast, fruit-bearing varieties have white or light pink petals. In bloom, as either hedge or short tree, they are both lovely to view and functional for the fruit they provide.
Written by Tricia Ellis-Christensen
