Quinces

The quince is rarely found in the home kitchen and is almost forgotten. However, their aromatic, sweet and sour taste makes them something special! Quinces are processed in a similar way to apples and pears, ie the core has to be removed. Its high pectin content gives the quince its gelling properties. Because of its partially existing down, the quince was also called "woolly apple" under the Romans…

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Botany
ingredients
Use and preparation
storage

Botany

The quince (Cydonia oblonga) is related to apple and pear, is also a pome fruit and comes from the rose family (Rosaceae). Its name is probably derived from the Cretan city of Kydonia - now Chania. The quince was known as the “Cretan apple” as early as Roman antiquity.

The quince grows on bushes that can reach heights of up to six meters. Their fruit is apple to pear-shaped and has a core. The hard shell is smooth and green to bright yellow. A special characteristic of the quince is its white-gray, felty fluff on the skin, which is very bitter. This fluff gave the quince the name "woolly apple" among the Romans. The fruits can weigh up to a kilogram. Depending on the variety - a distinction is made between pear and apple quince - the shape of the fruit changes. Other varieties are mainly used as ornamental plants (e.g. Japanese ornamental quince). The quince has a very aromatic, lemon-like scent.

Fresh local quinces are available from late September to early November. They are rarely found in stores, but increasingly on markets.

Note Like its relative, the pear, the quince contains so-called stone cells. They make the pulp grainy.

ingredients

The quince is a low-calorie fruit and consists of over 80 percent water. Their high fiber content has a positive effect on digestive activity. The pectins contained also have gelling properties that can be used in the kitchen. The pectin content decreases with the degree of ripeness of the fruit. Quinces contain significant amounts of the minerals iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, copper and manganese. They also have a high vitamin C content.

Quince ingredients	per 100 g edible portion, raw	Quince ingredients	per 100 g edible portion, raw
Energy (kcal)	38	Magnesium (mg)	8th
Fat (g)	0.5	Iron (mg)	0.6
Protein (g)	0.4	Vitamin A (µg)	6th
Carbohydrates (g)	7.3	Vitamin B1 (mg)	0.03
Dietary fiber (g)	5.9	Vitamin B2 (mg)	0.03
Potassium (mg)	183	Niacin (mg)	0.2
Calcium (mg)	10	Vitamin C (mg)	14th

Use and preparation

Local quinces are not suitable for raw consumption due to their tart, bitter taste and the hard to woody pulp. If the quinces are boiled, steamed or baked, their pulp is easy to digest, juicy and soft, and the taste is also milder.

Before the quinces are processed, the felty fluff of the outer skin must be rubbed off. This works best with a cloth. Quinces are processed in a similar way to apples and pears, ie the core has to be removed. Quinces should be eaten peeled. Thanks to their sweet and sour aroma, they go well with meat, game and poultry dishes. Quinces can be combined well with apples, pears or berries, among other things. They are often made into jelly, jams, compotes, purees or juice. They are also suitable as a baking ingredient, e.g. as a topping for cakes or tarts.

Note If you want to use the gelling effect of the quince while cooking, use less ripe fruits.

storage

Quinces should be stored in a cool and airy place at home. So they are max. Best before eight weeks. Pressure points should be avoided. A long storage period will discolour the pulp brownish.

Note The quince smell easily passes over to other fruits during storage and can affect their taste.