November 2009 . Quince
Quince is perhaps one of the most beautiful, fragrant pieces of fruit I have ever stumbled upon. My induction into the fan club came about when a farmer spoke of its pungently sweet aromas and flavors. Baked or blanched, he preceded tick off a variety of ways to prepare it, all the while rummaging through the pile for me to take home. I was intrigued—I had never seen anything of it’s kind and was eager to take it a taste test.
The quince was rock hard. I was a bit nervous coring it for fear that my beloved paring knife would break. I decided to switch to my trusty butcher knife, and it did the trick. Each precise chop revealed muted red meat cradled inside a bright yellow skin—the perfect color pallet for autumn cooking. Curiously, I decided to try it raw. I anticipated my first bite to be similar to an apple-crisp and crunchy. Boy, was I in for a treat. It was unlike anything I’d ever tasted. Subtle hints of sweet and tart flavors were overpowered with chock full of fibers. So much so, that it was impossible for me to continue chewing my initial bite. With that I decided to follow the farmer’s advice and simmered the remaining pieces in sugar and water. Patiently I waited 45 minutes while it became tender. The sweet fragrance wafted through the air and I often found my nose guiding me back to the kitchen to check—no drool over my simmering quince.
The result: not bad for a first timer. The quince passed the taste test and will now be privy to a variety of experiments to see just how it fares in other forms. (I hear that quince makes excellent jam.)
Check back later to follow my adventures with quince. (And recipes!)
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