What is a quince?

[vegpatchmum]

There I've asked it

Don't know what one is but him on Gardeners World seems to think they are delicious with anything and everything. Are they like apples? They looked like a cross between an apple and a pear from what I could see on last nights programmer. What do they taste like and how easy/hard are they to grow?

Sorry if this is a daft question but I've often heard people talk about them but never, to my knowledge, seen or tasted one in the flesh, as it were. And yes I know I could google it but I thought I'd get a better, all purpose answer here

Thanks in advance
VPM
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[peter]

Tree, bit like an apple, fruit a bit.like the Asian Pears you see in supermarkets, but not quite the same shape. Very hard highly "perfumed" fruit.

Recommend you look at this link to RHS http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/pro ... px?pid=298

[glallotments]

We have a quince tree on the plot and I posted about them on my blog last week. The link is here if you want photos of the blossom/tree/fruit etc. They are not harder to grow than apples or pears.

http://glallotments.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/not-living-up-to-its-name.html

I think Monty Don must have taken a peek and decided to pick his.

We love them - the taste is very difficult to describe - I guess sort of like honey but more fruity than sugary. Last year we mixed them with apples in crumbles or had them alone in a crumble. This year we haven't many so have many a apple and quince compote which we have with yoghurt or porridge.

Hoping for a better harvest next year!

[vegpatchmum]

Thanks for that peter and glallotments. They really do look a lot like pears. May have to look at tree for the back garden

VPM
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[oldherbaceous]

Dear VPM, don't forget, you have to grow them over a pond, and then put on waders to pick them.....

[Geoff]

I just got bogged down on the mower going past where ours is growing so that almost counts I think. I don't know what they are like either, not had any fruit yet though we had some nice blossom last year.

[glallotments]

Ours is nowhere near water unless you count all the rain!

[Primrose]

I'd never really come across them until we saw them growing in Portugal and wondered what this fruit was which had a slightly furry skin and looked a cross between an apple and a pear. Bought a bagful back from a holiday there and turned them into a quince preserve which had a lovely fragrance. Are they on sale in supermarkets? Don't think I've ever seen them sold commercially in any great quantities.

[JohnN]

I have a 70 year old tree quince tree that usually produces lots of fruit, but this year none at all!
They make very tasty wine, especially sweet "social" wine. Bit too much strong flavour for a dinner wine.
My local pub cook takes a lot of them and makes lovely sweet quince jelly. I usually get at least a dozen pots, which are useful as Christmas presents. The jelly is lovely with cold meats, instead of redcurrant or apple sauce.

[glallotments]

I'd never really come across them until we saw them growing in Portugal and wondered what this fruit was which had a slightly furry skin and looked a cross between an apple and a pear.

When they are ripe they lose the furriness and turn from green to yellow.

[vegpatchmum]

Dear VPM, don't forget, you have to grow them over a pond, and then put on waders to pick them.....

I did wonder what ever happened to planning where you plant things?

Monty thinks: "Where in this VERY large garden should I plant my quince tree? I know just the spot ..... 't'other side of the VERY deep and wide pond where it will require the help of the Coastguard to harvest them"

VPM
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[Primrose]

Yes I can't imagine what he must have been thinking. . Perhaps he thought it would never fruit. Hasn't he ever heard of those long handled extended fruit picking products where the fruit falls off into a sort of fishing net?

[peter]

Yes I can't imagine what he must have been thinking. . Perhaps he thought it would never fruit. Hasn't he ever heard of those long handled extended fruit picking products where the fruit falls off into a sort of fishing net?

What do you think he is, some sort of gardening expert?