Crushing on Quince

Quinces are a diamond in the rough of the fruit world.

The quince doesn’t have the eye candy appeal of a shiny red apple or the juiciness of a fresh strawberry, but it shares a one-of-a-kind scrumptious fragrance that makes the quince the princess of the ballroom.  Fall’s elegant offering combines the complex flavors of vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Basically the spices of pie available in one location. The problem? You have to work a bit harder to alter the quince into an edible dish, but the effort is worth it.

The mysterious yellow-green pear-ish shaped fruit should not be eaten raw so you have to cook the quince to enjoy the luxurious flavor. It is a bit difficult to cut up and has a rigid interior. But when peeled, chopped and simmered the magic of the underrated fruit comes to life feeding you the flavor of fall in an all-addicting way.

And, there is more to love. The average quince has about 50 calories and zero fat. If you are looking to add fiber to your diet, quinces are a great source. They each hold about 14 grams of fiber and are an excellent source of vitamin C.

Tempting, yes?

If you get your hands on a quince and have it in you to refrain from eating it, the quince is an all-natural potpourri. Set the fruit in your windowsill and slowly (but surely) the scent of vanilla, citrus and apple will seep into your home…but the smell of it will have you going quince crazy and you will have to get cooking. Transform one of fall’s delicious splendors into an elegant dish with these recipe ideas:

• Ah, pancakes. Just as adaptable as oatmeal, but fluffier. Try these quince pancakes.
• Forget the apple crisp. Quince crisp may overtake the classic.
• Bake ‘em…and then stuff with cinnamon, honey and almonds. Done and done.
• Anything described as finger lickin’ good has some major taste bud appeal: Finger lickin’ good stewed quince dessert.
• Salads in the winter? You betcha! Make this sweet and savory poached quince salad.

Quince season is a fleeting one. They typically only last through December. Look for the alluring fruit in large supermarkets or smaller specialty stores. ‘Tis the season for quince!

Do you have a food crush? Have you ever eaten a quince?

photo credit: Kirsty S via photopin cc