In this undated photo, In fall, bright yellow quince fruits call out to be harvested from among the small tree's craggy stems in New York. (Lee Reich via AP)

In this undated photo, In fall, bright yellow quince fruits call out to be harvested from among the small tree's craggy stems in New York. (Lee Reich via AP)

Quince: Grow and taste the ‘forbidden fruit’

In Genesis, the Bible mentions the “forbidden fruit.” Commonly identified as an apple, many people contend it was actually a quince.

The quince’s Mideast origin, as well as its fuzzy, daffodil-yellow skin and a lemony perfume as penetrating as musk make it a strong candidate for the fruit that tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Don’t take a bite! Fresh, a quince is tart, slightly astringent and dry.

Only after it is cooked — spicing up an apple pie or a batch of applesauce, or on its own in a jelly jar — does quince become its most enticing.

Stewed by itself, the firm, white flesh melts to a smooth, rosy-pink delicacy with hints of pineapple, guava and spice.

Some quince varieties — Aromatnaya and Karp’s Sweet — are said to be edible without cooking, but heat is what really unlocks the best this fruit has to offer in taste, texture and color.

Besides good eating, quince offers two special seasons of beauty. One is now, in autumn, when the stems are festooned with bright fruits shaped like muscular Golden Delicious apples.

In spring, quince’s beauty is more subdued, as white, sometimes pink blossoms unfold. These single blossoms rarely get nipped by frost because they appear relatively late in spring at the tips of new shoots. Growth beyond these flowering shoots is from stems that angle off just behind the flowers to give an old quince tree a craggy, picturesque appearance.

(Don’t confuse this quince, Cydonia oblonga, with the more commonly planted flowering quince, Chaenomeles speciosa, whose usually salmon-pink flowers are followed by green, rock-hard fruits. A combination of long cooking and liberal sweetening renders these fruits edible.)

Although edible quince is not widely planted these days, you can still come upon old trees that were planted decades ago in dank corners of old lots, often the only surviving relics of gardens of the past. Don’t judge quince by the knobby, woody fruit on these neglected plants. Plant quince yourself, give it rich, well-drained soil bathed in sunlight, and you will be rewarded with quinces that ripen to succulent perfection.

Pretty much the only regular care a quince plant needs is light pruning in late winter. When the plant is young, train it either as a small tree with one or a few trunks, or as a many-stemmed, spreading bush. After that, shorten some stems each year and remove some others, enough to keep the plant open to light and air, and to stimulate the foot or two of new growth needed to keep the plant fruitful.

Quince is self-fruitful, so only a single plant is needed for fruiting. The plant offers its first fruits a couple of years after being planted. Besides becoming fully colored, fruits indicate their ripeness by readily detaching from the plant when given a slight upward twist. Although relatively hard, the fruits bruise easily, so handle them with care.

No need to eat them quickly. Ripe, they keep well even at room temperature, ripening more as they sit. On the kitchen counter, they fill the room with spicy fragrance. A traditional way to freshen up a closet or drawer is with a quince fruit stuck full of whole cloves.

Quince is an ancient fruit that long ago made its way west from its original home. The Greeks grew it and dedicated it to their Goddess of Love. According to Columella, a Roman writer of the first century A.D., “Quinces not only yield pleasure, but health.”

Cultivation of the fruit spread throughout Europe and the plants crossed the Atlantic with colonists. Here, quinces were stewed into compote, fermented into wine, and cooked down into a “butter” or into a syrup that once flavored soda-fountain drinks.

As cultivation of quince spread, new varieties originated. Among the more popular are Orange, Pineapple, Champion and Smyrna.

If you enjoy tart fruits, you might actually enjoy biting into the raw fruits of any of these varieties. They do look very enticing.

More in Life

Sara DeVolld performs as part of the Waltz of the Flowers Corps de Ballet in “The Nutcracker” with Eugene Ballet at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Shona DeVolld)
Becoming part of a ‘magical holiday tradition’

Local ballet dancer Sara DeVolld performs in Anchorage for ‘The Nutcracker’

A copy of Sherry Simpson’s “The Way Winter Comes” is held in the Peninsula Clarion offices on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Off the Shelf: Inhabited by winter

Juneau writer spins haunting tales of Alaska’s darkest season in 1998 short story collection

These festive gingerbread cookies are topped with royal icing and sprinkles. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
Rolling out the gingerbread

With Christmas around the corner, it’s time for the holiday classic

Paper chains made of gratitude strips adorn a Christmas tree at Christ Lutheran Church in Soldotna. (Photo courtesy Meredith Harber)
Minister’s Message: Grateful and kind

What if, instead of gathering around tables and talking about what has already happened TO us, we challenge ourselves to return kindness to the world around us

Roasted broccoli Caesar salad provides some much-needed greens and fiber to balance out the rolls and gravy. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
A toasty, warm salad for a cozy Thanksgiving

This warm side dish provides some much-needed greens and fiber to balance out the rolls and gravy

Nick Varney
Unhinged Alaska: Some things never change. Nor should they

In the dawdling days prior to Thanksgiving, things are usually as serene as a gentle snowfall within our modest piece of nirvana

This photo from the early 1960s shows Jackson Ball enjoying the Christmas holidays with his eldest three daughters. His fourth and youngest daughter was born less than a year and a half before Ball’s death in 1968. (Photo from Ball Family memorial slideshow, 2022)
Human Complexity: The Story of Jackson Ball — Part 3

Misfortune was written across the recent history of the Arlon Elwood “Jackson” Ball family

File
Minister’s Message: Reflect upon our daily joys and blessings this Thanksgiving

There is nothing like missing something like your health to make you grateful for having good health.

Forever Dance performs “Snow” during “Forever Christmas 2022.” (Photo courtesy Forever Dance)
Forever Dance ushers in Christmas season with annual variety show

“Forever Christmas” will bring the sounds and movements of the season to the Kenai Central High School auditorium

Marvel Studios
On the Screen: ‘Marvels’ messy but very fun

Where the film shines is in the stellar performances of its three leads

These snowballs are made of chocolate cupcakes are surrounded with sugary meringue and coconut flakes. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
Snowballs for a snow day

Winter-themed cupcakes celebrate a day at home

File
Minister’s Message: God’s selfie

I can think of no one word that encapsulates our age, that defines our collective priorities and focus better than that innocuous little term