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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Although my apple crop this year has been much reduced by the dry weather, my little quince tree has been more of a success.  The whole crop is probably about 40 good sized quinces and, so far, we have turned some into chutney and are about to produce a load of quince jelly. Last evening we included roast quince wedges with our vegetables and these I can keenly recommend.  I often see quinces for sale at the Turkish groceries on Green Lanes so you don't have to grow your own.

Here are some I picked yesterday and set aside. This lot weighs 3.5 kg and will probably end up as more chutney which is especially delicious:

Tags for Forum Posts: garden fruit, quinces

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I’ve baked them in the same way you do apples - core taken out, stuffed with soaked dried fruit and baked in a tray with some apple juice to provide steam. Serve warm with a dollop of thick cream.

Good and timely idea Michael.  We'll try this very soon.  How long do you give them? Presumably longer than apples as quinces are so hard. 

Mine took  about an hour and a half in a moderate oven but some whoppers take 2.  Cover them with foil to begin with and then take it off when they feel softened.  They’ll collapse inside the skin when they’re done and have this incredible perfumed honey flavour.  An apple corer is useless as they are so hard so a short, sharp pointed knife, a board and a tea towel to hold on to them seems to work. I once had them in Greece, halved and cored and stuffed with cooked minced lamb, cinnamon and sultanas and honey and crumbled feta cheese sprinkled over the top when served.

That whets my appetite!

But don't forget the runcible spoon - esp if you're dining on mince with slices of quince.

....on a pea green boat?

There's also membrillo - quince paste. Delicious with cheese.

Lovely fruit...

I  cannot understand for the life of me why people make jelly with these fruit when the jam is just so much more fulfilliing.

That is only MHO of course. I just adore the jam when it is full of soft mashed up fruit and I find the jelly....extremely blah!

In previous years I have made quince jam. I found that the natural grittyness of the fruit was present in the jam which reduced its appeal. As for membrillo my efforts have not so far been crowned with success success. Personally, quince jelly is not my favourite but I am not the only consumer chez nous. To please myself I laced half the batch with hot chillies.

Ah yes! With the chilly a quince jelly sounds so much better (for me).

Of course, it does come down to personal taste. I LIKE the grittyness you so describe and I suppose that is why ancestors had a preference for jelly. Same for blueberries and their small seeds - I just do not see the pont of the jelly when one can have all the interesting texture and fuller taste of the skin, seeds and pulp skillfully combined each and every season by my Grand'mama into a delicious jam.

An aside and point of interest : In the West Indies and parts of Latin America, the Spanish left us a legacy of 'queso de membrillo' when they substitued the local gauvas for their cherished quince....delicious and very similar guava cheese. You could find easily it in the local 7 Sisters Latin market at Wards Corner which TFL, Grainger and Haringey have colluded to shut down.

Would you like to show off your fruit and chutney at the Mini-Flower-and- Produce Show at the Hub in Lordship Rec on October 3rd? https://lordshiprec.org.uk/mini-tottenham-flower-and-produce-entry-...

Please see Lordship website or Facebook page!

Thanks for the suggestion Alyson but I am not available on 3rd October.  I used to do something like this each year for Apple Day at Hornsey Vale Community Centre but have given it up for the time being. In any event, I am tending to avoid public gatherings at present.

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