Rediscover a forgotten fruit in this guide about what quince is and how to eat it. Be inspired by learning where to find them, how to pick them, and by getting tons of tips on how to prepare and use it in your cooking.
Not that long ago, when our grandparents were young, quince was a well-loved fruit. The intense aroma, sweet and subtly spiced flavor, and versatility made it popular in tons of different recipes.
Nowadays, even if fresh quince is available at your local market, odds are most people don’t know what it is, or how to use it. I think that’s a shame, because the taste of cooked quince is something that makes it worthy of every home cook’s kitchen.
In this guide I’m going to answer all the basic questions you might have about quince. What is quince, how to eat it, how to prepare it, and what to expect when you take that first bite.
What is Quince?
Quince is a tree fruit from the Rosaceae family, just like apples and pears. They look similar to pears but are more oblong, often not uniform, and have a lopsided or lumpy appearance.
The outside skin ranges from green to yellow, sometimes with rosy pink patches, and has a dusty, or mildly fuzzy texture.
When they’re ripe, they give off an intensely sweet, floral, fruity aroma. You may be tempted to take a bite, but for most varieties the hard, white interior is tough, acidic, and bitter.
The real magic develops when you begin to cook them, and the fruit transforms into a rosy hued, sweet treat that matches the tempting smell.
Where to Buy Quince
Most of the quince grown today is believed to have its roots in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.
Now it’s grown in regions that boast similar hot, dry climates around the world, though sadly not often for commercial purposes. In the US, states like California and western Oregon are main producers.
As with most unique fruits, checking at the local farmer’s market is the best place to start. It’s in season from late summer through early winter.
Apple and pear growers may supply them, and u-pick orchards may also be an option. Upscale grocery stores or ethnic markets could also carry imported ones.
How to Pick the Perfect Fruit
The easiest and most identifying trait of ripe quince is the smell. It has an unmistakable sweet fruity aroma that’s similar to guava.
You can also give the skin a gentle rub. The dusty, fuzzy exterior should easily come away to reveal a mostly yellow skin, though it may still have patches of pale green.
If all you can find are green ones, don’t worry, they ripen well off the tree. Leave them on the counter until the skin is yellow and they smell floral and sweet.
Once ripe, they store best in a cool location, like a cellar or the fridge. Despite the hard flesh, the exterior does bruise easily so try to keep them in a single layer. Kept cool they can last 3 weeks or more.
I do want to mention that they give off ethylene gas, just like apples. Try to avoid storing them with your veggies, bananas, citrus, or other fridge fruits, which can cause everything to ripen faster.
Health Benefits
There are actually a surprising amount of health benefits to eating quince. They have a good amount of vitamin C, dietary fiber, and other antioxidants and minerals.
They’re believed to be good for weight regulation, digestion, and circulation.
How to Cook Quince
Unlocking these benefits is achieved by cooking them. There are some less common varieties that can be eaten raw, but most need to be cooked in order to transform the bitter flavor into something sweet and palatable.
The seeds, much like apples, contain trace amounts of cyanide, so fresh quince needs to be cored before use. The skin is edible when cooked, so peeling it is optional. Once cut, they begin to oxidize (turn brown) quickly, so submerge them in an acidic liquid like lemon water, or cook them immediately.
The most direct and popular method is to poach them in a flavorful liquid. It can be simply water, or sugary water infused with flavors. In my simple poached quince recipe I used vanilla and citrus with brown sugar to turn them into a decadent dessert we love to eat straight from the pot.
Once cooked they turn a rosy hue and have a very sweet, somewhat spicy flavor, like a pear infused with clove. The flesh becomes more tender, without being mushy, making it a perfect snack that stores well in the fridge for a week.
How to Eat Quince
Once you have a batch of poached quince in the fridge, you might wonder what you can do with them. Poaching is often just a first step in getting them ready for other desserts like tarts, pies, cobbler or a delicious quince cake.
But they can also be cooked longer on their own to transform them into jams, jellies, syrups, purees like applesauce, or into a paste popularly known as membrillo, which tastes amazing with cheese.
There are so many uses for it, and I encourage you to try a few recipes, then have fun experimenting with your own. They pair well with many flavors including citrus, vanilla, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, clove, garam masala, and star anise.
What you’ll discover is a forgotten fruit with amazing flavors that should definitely be remembered. I hope you’re inspired by learning all about what quince is, and enjoy the flavors you experience as you begin cooking with it.
