Quince preserves

Polish: pigwa
Arabic: سفرجل
Bosnian: dunja
Rapanui: tuava
Ukrainian: Айва́
Romani: गुदुईन
Sardinian: tidongia
Welsh: cwins
Flemish: kweepeer
Upper sorbian: prawy kwětlowc
Spanish: membrillo

Quince. A fuit with so much meaning. May have preceded apple culture. It was a ritual offering at ancient Greek weddings and an important ingredient in Roman cookbooks. In Portuguese quince is called marmelo and marmelada was just cooked quince ith sugar, which was the beloved sweet of Christoph Columbus. In Spain this dessert is called dulce de membrillo and it is eaten as an appetizer with salty cheese. In Poland and Germany preparing above mentioned "quince bread" is always related with preparing quince jelly. Both at once. I even made ice cream and sorbet. I am gonna show you how. But I had no big quinces so I used baby quinces.



quinces (1 pan full of quince chunks)
sugar
2:1 preserve sugar (with pectin)

1. Cut quinces into chunks, don't peel, don't throw the seeds. Put into a saucepan.

2. Add so much water just to cover fruits. Cook until they are soft (check with fork)

3. Drain fruits (don't throw the resting juice!) and rub through a sieve

4. Cook quince puree with sugar (give as much sugar as much quince puree you obtained). The longer you cook, the darker will be your quince bread.

5. Pour the mass into a plain tray. Some people dry it in opened oven, but I think it is better to let it cool in a tray without baking. When cooled, cut in pieces and eat with slices of salty (especially sheep and goat) cheese or sprinkle with sugar and just eat sweet





6. Cover the sieve with a linen towel. Drain the juice, it has to be clear. Now you can prepare sorbet, ice cream or jelly.

To make a jelly, cook the juice with 2:1 pectin sugar (two portions of juice with one portion of sugar). Scald your jars and close jelly inside.



To make a sorbet, sweeten the juice to taste and freeze



To make ice cream, take 1/2 cup quince bread, 1 cup yoghurt and 1 cup milk. Combine and freeze.



To make a quick refreshing drink, combine 1 tablespoon quince jelly with a cup of water.