by Lisa Giroday, Sandra Lopuch and Sam Philips | Quinces, or Cydinia oblonga in botanical speak, are popular in many cultures. They have been grown in Sicily and throughout the Mediterranean for thousands of years. We think they are awesome and that they should be making a comeback in our region.

Quinces are closely related to apples and pears, the fruit being round or slightly pear-shaped, with fuzzy skin that turns golden yellow when ripe. The flavour is hard to define – somewhere between an apple and pear, but more complex and highly aromatic. If you’re lucky, a neighbour might have a neglected quince tree in their yard, but they are otherwise a bit scarce.

So, why are quinces unpopular here? Admittedly, quinces are absolutely disgusting when raw and not applied to culinary use. They are a bit of work, so they are not the most convenient of fruits. They need a bit of cooking time, but they turn a beautiful rosy colour, hold their shape, and pair well with meats. In Morocco, they often accompany lamb in a tagine.

Because they are naturally high in pectin, quinces are also great in baking, in combination with pears and apples in a galette, or by adding to preserves that need a little thickening up. Plus there’s quince paste, which is easy to make, as the pectin thickens the mixture over heat. The paste pairs beautifully with a variety of cheeses (think ricotta, Manchego, Mahon, or Valedon), and it’s also good on its own when cut into cubes. Poached quinces are an excellent preserve to keep around and have with cereal, over ice cream, or whatever else you can think of – like making an easy tart tatin with.

After the leap you’ll find an easy recipe for delicious poached quinces.

Note: Quince flesh oxidizes easily, and often when you cut into one, the flesh is a bit brown and looks overripe – this is fine, however.

Poached Quinces

4 medium quinces
2 cups sugar or honey
6 cups water
½ vanilla bean
½ sliced lemon

Combine sugar and water in a pot, bring to a boil, and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Peel, quarter and core the quinces. Then cut into wedges about 1/4” thick. Split vanilla bean, add this, lemon slices, and quinces to the mixture.

Simmer until quinces are tender, at least 45 min, but this can take longer. They should not be mushy, but should have a knife cut them smoothly with ease. Will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks, or, you CAN can them!

THE VICTORY GARDENS ARCHIVE

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Victory Gardens is a team of local urban farmers for hire. Lisa, Sandra and Sam help transform tired or underused residential and commercial green spaces into food producing gardens. Their goal is to challenge the way communities use space and to participate in the change needed to consume food more sustainably. For the rest of the growing season, they’ve hooked up with Scout to share some cool tips and tricks on how to get the best from of our own backyards.