quince

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quince

The fruit of the quince tree, a small tree thought to be originally from Iran. Quince has a firm, dry, very aromatic flesh that is high in pectin. It cannot be eaten raw. Its harsh taste, due to its high tannin content, disappears when cooked.

Buying

Choose: fleshy, firm, intact quince, with partly yellow skin. Very ripe fruit is often marked, which is not important if it is to be cooked immediately.

Avoid: hard and very green quince.

Serving Ideas

To prevent its flesh from oxidizing, sprinkle quince with lemon juice or cook immediately once it is cut. The flesh becomes pink or red when cooked. Quince keeps its 
shape and texture when cooked. It is cooked in the same way as apples, after being trimmed and, if desired, peeled. It is made into jam, jelly, compote, syrup and wine. It is combined with apples, pears, strawberries or raspberries. Europeans enjoy quince paste, called cotignac; this paste is also popular in Hispanic cultures, where it is called dulce de membrillo. In eastern Europe, the Near East and northern Africa, quince is used with meat and poultry. It is used in simmered dishes.

Storing

At room temperature: for ripening. 

In the fridge: a few weeks, individually wrapped. 

In the freezer: peeled, trimmed, sliced and sprinkled with lemon juice or ascorbic acid, or puréed, with or without sugar.

Nutritional Information

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(click to enlarge)
Quince (Cydonia oblonga). (credit: Walter Chandoha)

Small fruit tree (Cydonia oblongata) in the rose family. Common quince is native to Iran, Turkey, and perhaps Greece and the Crimea. The raw golden-yellow fruit has a strong fragrant aroma and astringent taste; it takes on a pink colour when cooked and makes an excellent preserve. The Japanese quince (Chaenomeles species) is an ornamental shrub widely used for its flowers, which appear on the tightly branched stems before the leaves open fully in late winter and early spring.

For more information on quince, visit Britannica.com.

The deciduous tree Cydonia oblonga, originally from Asia, grown for its edible fruit. The fruit is a pear-shaped or apple-shaped pome, characteristically tomentose, aromatic, sour, astringent, and green, turning clear yellow at maturity. Used mostly for jam and jelly or as a stewed fruit, the fruit of the quince develops a pink color in cooking. See also Deciduous plants; Fruit; Fruit, tree; Rosales.

Pear-shaped fruit of Cydonia oblongata, with flesh similar to that of the apple; sour but strong aromatic flavour when cooked; rich in pectin and used chiefly in jams and jellies; formerly known as ‘the apple and the vine’. Japanese quince is the fruit of the ornamental shrub Chaenomelis lagenaria, hard, sour and aromatic, used in preserves and jellies.

[KWIHNC] Ancient Romans used the flowers and fruit of the quince tree for everything from perfume to honey. It was also considered a symbol of love and given to one's intended as a sign of commitment. Though the quince has been around for over 4,000 years throughout Asia and the Mediterranean countries, it's not particularly popular with Americans. This yellow-skinned fruit looks and tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear. The hard, yellowish-white flesh is quite dry and has an astringent, tart flavor, which makes it better cooked than raw. Because of its high pectin content, it's particularly popular for use in jams, jellies and preserves. Quinces are available in supermarkets from October through December. Select those that are large, firm and yellow with little or no sign of green. Wrap in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 2 months. Peel before using in jams, preserves, desserts and savory dishes.

• Trees
• Fruits
• Yellow

Dansk (Danish)
n. - kvæde

Nederlands (Dutch)
kweeboom/-peer

Français (French)
n. - coing, cognassier

Deutsch (German)
n. - Quitte, Quittenbaum

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) κυδώνι

Italiano (Italian)
cotogna, cotogno

Português (Portuguese)
n. - marmelo (m), marmeleiro (m)

Русский (Russian)
айва

Español (Spanish)
n. - membrillo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kvittenfrukt, kvittenträd

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
一种蔷薇科植物, 一种果实

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 一種薔薇科植物, 一種果實

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 마르멜로(의 열매)

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - マルメロ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) سفرجل, شجرة السفرجل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮חבוש (פרי)‬

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