
Quince paste
Photographer:
Years ago whilst studying down in Wellington I spent an evening in a beautiful old home perched high on the slopes of Mt Victoria. My host for the evening was a family friend, a quirky yet kind woman who shares her home with a collection of flatmates, each equally as quirky as the next. As the evening progressed and conversation relaxed, we found ourselves sharing tales of romantic gestures. I am unsure whether or not I contributed to this conversation however there is one story which sticks in my mind. It is a simple story, without extravagance, a modest gesture which I have recounted to various people over the years and one which garners mixed responses. I however think it is hopelessly romantic.
It goes a little something like this…..
It is a wintry day in Wellington, a cutting wind sent from the snow-blanketed south blows in across the Cook Straight tousling freshly coiffured do’s and lifting freshly ironed skirts. A young man, coat buttoned against the cold, carefully looks over a pile of quinces stacked on the shelves of a small fruit shop. He selects three perfectly formed fruit, pays for them and then heads back out into the cold.
A young woman sits at her desk in a low rise building, gazing out across the slate-grey sea awash with frothy white-caps. She reaches for a package sitting on her desk, a package which sat awaiting her arrival. The package is heavy, its contents wrapped in brown paper tied with string. She carefully unties the string to reveal 3 perfectly formed quince, their floral perfume filling the air.
I had always suspected that quince might be an historically significant fruit, and digging around I have come to learn that this in fact so. Ancient texts suggest that Eve’s fruit of temptation may have been a quince rather than an apple. In ancient Greece quince was a wedding offering and the story goes that a bride, before entering the wedding chamber, would nibble on the fragrant flesh of a quince to perfume her breath. And if this is not proof enough of the romanticism that surrounds quince, I must point out that quince was a fruit sacred to Aphrodite.
In all my thirty years I had never, until last month, cooked quince. I had intended to poach it and serve it with homemade crumpets but I cooked the fruit for too long and it began to lose its shape. So I cooked it for a while longer until it became gelatinous and blushed a deep red and set in perfect little rounds. I urge you to try this recipe. It is easy to make and when wrapped up and tied with string it makes a perfect autumn offering, especially when accompanied with cheese and wine.
Emma – what a gorgeous story.
i love quince – looking forward to trying to make my own paste and consuming it with good cheese.
Hey Jess!
Thanks for your message. It is a great recipe. Let me know how it turns out for you.
We really enjoyed it with a range of cheeses and good crusty bread.
Emma
Emma,
Loved this recipe, thanks. Worked perfectly, much better than previous Quince paste recipe I have used. This one was a little softer in consistency which is nice. The lemon was a perfect flavour addition. Enjoyed some tasty cheese on crackers with what remained in the bottom of the cooking pot! Cooks perks I think it’s called.
Hi Nicky,
Thanks for your message and sorry for the very slow reply! I am glad that you found the recipe to be an improvement on your last.
Here’s to cooks perks. I hope you are well.
Emma
Yeah it’s quince season! I am so happy to have made this yummy recipe again. I loved the mixture set in ramekins, but found it a little tricky to share as presents as it was prone to squishing. Especially in the post. This year at the recommendation of a friend, I have invested in some wee plastic pottles with lids, to set the mixture. Hoping to wrap in brown paper, like pan forte wrapping as gifts.
The really exciting news though is the skins, cores and scraps of the peeled and cut quince. I couldn’t bear to throw this in the compost, so cooked them up and strained through a jelly bag. I now have a bonus couple of jars of quince jelly. I measured the strained juice and brought to the boil. Once boiled I added lemon juice and 3/4 c sugar per cup of quince juice. I boiled till it passed the “setting test” then bottled.
What a brilliant way way to use up the scraps from your quince paste – double the glory! Delicious. Thanks so much for the tips, the plastic pottle idea is perfect. When I give away my preserves I always encourage people to return the jars stating those who recycle get refilled!