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The Quince (Cydonia oblonga) is the sole member of the genus Cydonia and native to warm-temperate southwest Asia in the Caucasus region. It is a small deciduous tree, growing 5-8 m tall and 4-6 m wide, related to apples and pears, and like them has a pome fruit, which is bright golden yellow when mature, pear-shaped, 7-12 cm long and 6-9 cm broad. |
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Preparation, uses, and tips Almost anything that can be done with apples can be done with quinces. They need a similar length of cooking time and are delicious stewed, baked, and made into fruit butter. When baking with quinces, add sugar only after they become soft and the flesh starts to change in color from white to pink. |
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The Quince's Delicious History |
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People are drawn to the romance of antique apples and pears, but for a truly ancient fruit steeped in history, take a look at the quince. Its birthplace is thought to have been the Fertile Crescent in Asia Minor, the cradle of civilization. From there it spread to the Mediterranean, delighting the Greeks and Romans with its tart, delicate flavor and powerful aroma. (A bowl of quinces on a table perfumes the air.) Because apples were unknown in the ancient world, a quince might well have tempted Eve, and the golden apples of the Hesperides, given to Aphrodite by Paris of Troy, were probably quinces, too. |
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