Much appreciated by the Greeks who hollowed it out and filled it with honey, or cooked it wrapped in pastry. They especially favoured a variety which grew on the outskirts of Sidon in Crete, hence its Latin name "Sidonia".

Description
The quince tree produces a very hard, ribbed fruit with seeds, a yellow, downy skin and yellow flesh. The fruit is rounded or pear-shaped, covered with a fine down when mature. It gives off a strong scent and its hard flesh is very bitter when raw.

Rich in tannin and pectin, the quince must always be cooked in order to achieve its delicate and flavourful potential. Its flesh is firm, tough, acidic and astringent and it gives off a strong odour, which is passed on to everything with which it comes in contact. In Europe it is used to make jam, candy and liquor. The word "marmalade" comes from the Portuguese "inannelo" or "marmelo," meaning quince. In fact, until the end of the 18th century, marmalade was made almost exclusively of quinces!

Nutritional values per 100 g
Calories: 33; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Fat: 0.1 g, Protein: 0.4 g
Rich in fibre, tannins, potassium and pectin

Buying quinces
Choose firm unbroken fruit with good colour.
Quinces are picked as late as possible in the fall since the fruits grow larger and ripen only on the tree.
A mature quince can be identified by it pleasant smell, but especially by the down on its skin, which can be simply rubbed off.

Storage
Keep in the crisper of the refrigerator or in a cool place.

Cooking tips

• Quince goes well with apples and pears. It can be used in compotes and jellies, as well as in liqueurs and fruit pastries.
• In a saucepan - Quince compote with candied ginger and honey
• In a skillet - Slices of precooked quince sautéed in butter to accompany roast guinea fowl.
• In the oven - remove the core from 4 very ripe quinces; fill with 100 ml crème fraîche and 65 g powdered sugar. Sprinkle the fruit with 130 g sugar and place in a 220° C oven for 30-35 minutes.
• Keep the quince seeds: they are rich in pectin and can be used to help jam set.
• Add a few grinds of pepper to your jams to enliven the taste.

The Worldwide Gourmet
In the eastern world, they are also eaten salted and stuffed like peppers, or used in tagines or stews, or even as an accompaniment to roast fowl like quail or chicken.

Iran - used like peppers; stuffed with ground lamb, chick peas or other legumes, and spices

Sicily - quince jam to accompany game - quince pulp, sugar, lemon juice

France - quince pastries - fill pastry squares with a mousse of fresh white cheese and passion fruit