Kitchen Garden Forum

There have been a couple of discussions on using these fruits before, none of which really lead anywhere in particular.
My sister has a tree and has made membrillo successfully in the past (apparently it is a right faff).
My observation of these fruit is that they go directly from rock-hard to rotten, without a stage of apparent ripeness in between. I have cooked them within an apple crumble but find it changes the taste but doesn't improve it, as far as I am concerned.

Is this fruit worth any effort? Could one treat it like apples or pears and make the quince equivalent of cider or perry from them? Or is it membrillo or nothing?

I made a wine with some many years ago, whilst grating them to make a pulp to ferment, the juice fetched all the plating off the kitchen grater, it wasn't very nice tasting as a wine either.

I planted a quince bush earlier this year I think I will dig it up and give it away

My son is a chef and has claimed all of next year's crop for the Christmas menu.
I think he made membrillo boiled them down and added sugar for eating with cheese.
I'll have to keep some back for the ladies I now know, whose background is of Greek and other Mediterranean countries.

Tigerburnie:- I suspect that even if I achieved fermentation, the end result would not be to my taste.

Robo:- you might like quince. It may have gone out of favour but lots of people will like thd taste.


Peter:- I think membrillo takes a lot of fruit as well as a lit of time.

I have a very mature (perhaps 80 years old) quince tree which this year fruited heavily with pear-sized fruit. Lots of them went to a local pub and several friends for quince chutney, which we benefited from. Years ago I made quince wine which turned out very pleasant, though strong tasting. Don't try and make table wines, stick to sweet social wine and get your guests to guess what its made from!

I've had a good crop on my tree this year and used some in apple pies and made some membrillo. It keeps for ages in an airtight container and is like a thick fruity jelly but a more solid texture that goes well with cheese. It does take quite a while to make but that is mainly the drying process a bit like fruit leathers.