Quince is a fruit that has its season in the fall. It has ancient roots and an ugly, knobbly appearance which is more prominent when the fruit is picked underripe. When ripe, Quince has a golden tone and smooth skin. Quince grows on small trees and is closely related to apples, peaches, and pears.
If you haven’t tried eating Quince, you might probably wince if you try it as it is, raw. This is because unlike its cousins, apples and pears, it has tough skin. But, we are going to tell you how it tastes so you would know what to expect.
What does Quince taste like? Quince could be very tricky, while you can eat apples or pears raw, Quince is practically inedible when it is raw. If you try eating raw Quince, it tastes like eating a tart apple. Emphasis on the tart, it is very sour and could put you off from your first try.
However, if you cook Quince in a mix of sugar with little water or wine, you would be in for a huge surprise. Cooked Quince is edible, sweet, and not lacking in the fragrance aspect.
Quince can be eaten raw if you enjoy the tart feel, but it could be irritating to your throat so you need to take note of that. Cooked Quince, on the other hand, has a lot of possibilities and things you could do with it. But before we delve into that, let’s talk about what Quince does to your body.
Nutritional Benefits of Quince
Quince might taste unpleasant while it is raw, but it is full of vitamins and minerals. Quince also contains fiber which makes their addition to your diet a nutritious one.
Quince contains minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron, and copper. Then you also get Vitamins C, B6, and B1 in the mix. All of these in moderate amounts.
Unlike other fruits, Quince is not particularly rich in a specific compound. But instead, it proffers a wide range of nutrients. Some sorts of jack of all trades and master of none.
Quince has very potent antioxidants like Quercetin and Kaempferol that help to keep chronic heart diseases away and reduce inflammation. These antioxidants could also help protect against damage on a cellular level and reduce metabolic stress.
Quince does have some special benefits though, it can relieve nausea and vomiting that comes with pregnancy in women. Studies and research have shown that 15ml of Quince syrup was very much more effective than 20mg of Vitamin B6 at curtailing pregnancy-induced nausea.
The list of benefits is pretty long, Quince could help reduce acid reflux symptoms, treat stomach ulcers, help improve digestion, and protect one against certain allergic reactions. Incorporating Quince into your diet could help you keep everyday illnesses away because it has all the nutrients necessary to support your immune system.
Culinary Uses of Quince
If you want to enjoy your batch of Quince, you know you have to cook them. But that’s not where it ends, Quince has scintillating flavors that would grace any recipe you decide to use them in. When you cook Quince, it would fill your kitchen with sweet flavors and lend those flavors to your recipes.
Once your quince is cooked, if you are skeptical about how to use it, you could start with baking it into an apple pie. Naturally, Quince would work in that situation, because they are from the same family. If you are feeling much bolder, you can bake it into a tart.
When you cook Quince, there is that lovely syrup left behind. You can’t let it go to waste. You could eat the Quince with the syrup, or pour it into yogurt while using your cooked Quince as some sort of topping for your yogurt.
Quince has very high pectin content that makes it popular for use in jellies and jams. You can also make a paste out of it, this goes as Membrillo in Spain. Outside that, Quince can be used as a condiment with your desserts.
Where is Quince Grown? How Do You Procure It?
Quince is cultivated on all continents with warm temperate or temperate climates. They can be grown in places where the summers are sufficiently hot for the fruits to ripen fully.
For over 4000 years, quince has grown in Asia and the Mediterranean. It is thought Quince is the golden apple that Greek mythology emphasizes. But in the present day, Quince can be found in Latin America, North America, and the Middle East. But the Quince found in the United States is a slightly different variant.
Quince can be found in farmers’ markets or convenience stores, and in some neighborhoods like Oregon for example people grow the small trees on their property.
Is Quince The Forbidden Fruit?
The Bible describes the forbidden fruit as an apple. There have been various theories and many people have contended that the forbidden fruit was actually Quince. There are some Quince varieties that are edible without cooking. But the application of heat is what really unlocks the taste and flavor of Quince. There are no claims of proof to support the claim that Quince is the forbidden fruit.
Facts You Don’t Know About Quince
- When you cut Quince, it oxidizes rapidly. You can preserve it in acidulated water to help keep the discoloration away.
- You should stay away from Quince seeds. Quince seeds can be poisonous, you should scoop out all of the seeds before you go on to cook or eat the fruit.
- If you want to preserve your batch of Quince, you can store them in storage bags and keep them in the refrigerator for up to two months.