When I was young, we picked some quinces from a tree that overhung the fence of an old orchard on the way home from a picnic at the Light River. That, until today, was the first and only time I'd tasted quinces and although I was rather young, I remembered loving the flavour and scent of the hard, oddly-shaped yellow fruit. The perfume of them and the lusciously tart flavour somehow remained strong memories.
On Friday, I found quinces at the green grocers for $2.99 a kilogram. I grabbed a bag and restrained myself to buying only five quinces, as I'm sure there are others out there who enjoy the fruit more than I do. The quinces were covered in that soft felt-like coating they grow, and had only a slight hint of the perfume potential.
This morning, I set about peeling and cutting up the quinces for stewing. I remember the way Mum had gone about it with the ones I'd had when young. I watched her slicing through the solid fruit at the large silky oak table in the kitchen back home and recalled that the quinces took a long time to cook, just simmering along slowly. Perhaps it was because they were so unique that they've stuck out in my memory.
And the ones I bought were just as tough as I'd remembered the ones we'd picked to be to cut up. The flesh reminded me of crabapples somehow - probably the dry texture. Peeling, coring and slicing them all up took the best part of a Daft Punk CD. With occasional pauses to dance around the kitchen to the music.
Tumbling the sliced quince into a saucepan and covering them with water and sugar and finally putting them on to cook was such a rewarding sensation. After about half an hour, they were simmering gently and had begun to release that glorious quince scent - I wish I could describe it, but it seems sour, sharp, sweet and musky.
After a couple hours of gently stewing, they were ready. I remember the ones my Mum made being a darkish ruby red colour. Mine aren't. They're just a goldeny yellow. Maybe it's because I peeled them? I'm not sure.
But they're so delicious it could make a stone saint weep.
12 comments:
I love this post. Unfortunatly for me I don't think I have ever had quinces. Will have to in the future.
I also noticed that the third picture down looks a bit like a vagina.
They're not to everyone's taste, but I do recommend them. At least to try :)
*lol* I noticed that after I'd posted it, but oh well! Maybe I should set up some sort of Freudian-style test with quince photos...
I am guessing I would have failed this freudian fruit test. Or passed. Depending on the desired outcome.
Und now, yust lie down on zis couch...
*lol*
the vagina thing was sadly the first thing i noticed. don't worry...i'll be checking into some form of a mental illness institute soon...ish.
One that's decorated with photos of anthuriums and quinces? ;)
I would check into that place. Especcially if it had the phallic toadstools as well.
Something must be wrong with me - I didn't see a vagina initially. But then again we always knew there was something wrong with me ;)
The fruit does look delicious and Daft Punk makes it even better!
Oh good, I'm not alone in not seeing a vagina, reading through the comments i was getting worried, and im not sure about me or you guys....
Ooh, opinion is split! Maybe these could be the replacement Rorsach blots. Who knows... But I'm glad to see I have friends with non-pervy minds! ;)
Brandon - Daft Punk makes almost everything better :D
Clare - Not sure, either. Maybe it's just time for chocolate instead.
Well if it was just Brandon I would say that the reason no vagina has been seen was that he had nothing in which to compare it too.
Either way I still see a vagina but I think we need more people to view it to get a wider range of opinions.
It seems that my comment made people think I regulary observe vaginas. I would like to point that this is not that case. What I intended to imply was that Brandon doesn't have a vagina which maybe why he doesn't see similar shapes in other things.
I hope this clarifies my point.
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