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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Loquat trees

I have noticed many loquat trees in the ladder area and, presumably, these owe their prese nce to the many Cypriots who came here 60 years ago. In Greece I have seen these trees produce fruit but understood that this rarely happens in our climate. It was good therefore to see this tree bearing fruit. I forget which street it was in Beresford, Alison or Hewitt most likely.

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Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on July 9, 2017 at 20:38
Dick. I think this may actually be on Pemberton. I have a Somali friend that I often see picking them and eating them. I asked him once if they are OK and he was amazed we do not eat them too! I got the impressions he thought we were all a bit bonkers we did not know they were good to eat.
Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on July 10, 2017 at 10:51
You eat them when they are bletted (i.e. almost rotten). If you like overripe bananas, which I do, they're lovely. If you don't they are challenge
Permalink Reply by Lauren on July 9, 2017 at 20:56
Yes that one is Pemberton Rd. The house belongs to an elderly Cypriot gentleman.
Permalink Reply by Paul on July 10, 2017 at 0:36

Never realised the Mespilus germanica was called a loquat, always known them as Medlars (Greeks call them Mespilla). 

Never an attractive tree, but an amazing tasting fruit of the gods - I can describe the taste like solidified 'five alive'. Absolutely delicious and refreshing.

I've been told the French make a jam out of it and call the fruit 'chien derriere' because the underneath of the fruit looks like a dogs arse!

Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on July 10, 2017 at 9:28

Nice!

Permalink Reply by maggie on July 10, 2017 at 9:58

Now will he sit under a medlar tree,

And wish his mistress were that kind of fruit

As maids call medlars, when they laugh alone.

O Romeo, that she were, O that she were

An open-arse and thou a poperin pear!

W. Shakespeare.

Permalink Reply by Dick Harris on July 11, 2017 at 6:40

Slight misapprehension here.  The tree has perhaps some similarity but a loquat is not a medlar.  The blossom and the fruit (when it does appear in UK) are quite different.  See:

Permalink Reply by maggie on July 11, 2017 at 11:23

Aha!
It seems that the Loquat is Eriobotrya japonica, sometimes known as the Japanese medlar (indigenous to S.E. China) while what we know as the common medlar is Mespilus germanica (indigenous to S.W. Asia and S.E. Europe. They are both Rosaceae but are not closely related and the fruits are quite different).

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Permalink Reply by Maddy on July 10, 2017 at 9:49

Does anyone know whether I can eat/cook the quinces on a chaenomeles japonica in my garden - it has a bumper crop for the first time ever and it seems a shame not to use them?

Permalink Reply by maggie on July 10, 2017 at 10:27

I've never tried it but on a brief google there were recipies for jelly, lemonade, cheese, and chillie/ chaenomeles concoction. Most agreed that it was not good to eat raw as it was hard and bitter.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/oct/30/gardens-its-th...

Permalink Reply by Maddy on July 10, 2017 at 11:02

My sister made some lovely quince jelly a few years back, but those fruit were from a proper quince tree. Need a lot of sugar to be palatable.

Permalink Reply by maggie on July 10, 2017 at 14:35

...well give it a go and I'd be happy to taste it for you!

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