pass the runcible spoon!

I haven't made it to the market recently, so haven't bought any more quince (quinces -?). This is a real pity as I had an epiphany with the last two I had in the house: they must have been more ripe as their delicate, seductive perfume suddenly became obvious to me and I am utterly hooked.

Now my eyes have been opened, I can't open a cook book without finding another recipe. I knew of the quince cheese or jam - a smear of fragrant preserve, eeked out of pounds of fruit - but the only other recipe I had formerly come across was Nigella's quince brandy. Having made a few jars of this for Christmas gifts I felt I had preserved the spirit of autumn, however I am now feeling increasingly urgent about finding more fruit to try the new recipes, as the season is most probably over already... please tell me if you know of anywhere in London that still sells them!

The book 'The legendary cuisine of Persia' by Margaret Shaida (Grub Street, 2006) has some beautiful quince recipes. I hoped to find a chutney or preserve, and indeed found 'quince jam' but then was thrilled to find quince stew with lamb and split peas. I can't imagine anything more exciting than being able to try quince more directly: it is such an unapproachable little thing. I'm quite sure it doesn't wish to be eaten.

I quote from Shaida: "it is difficult to decide which delectable dish to make with it, whether to stew it with lamb and split peas, or whether to stuff and bake it, or whether, after all, to make a simple sherbert." She also supplies instruction on making quince and lime syrup, which sounds at once refreshing and aromatic, no?

I also read that quince used to be used to perfume the house, and could be studded with cloves and left in a linen cupboard, just as an orange is at Christmas.

Quince brandy from Nigella's 'How to be a Domestic Goddess': like any other fruit spirit: just chop up the fruit and add the alcohol and leave to steep - in this instance for three months. No sugar is used this time, but cinnamon quills and star anise are added. I have used fat little kilner jars as I think it will be more of a novelty, rather than something to savour over the year. Except for my jar, of course, which will be large and savoured - and, I hope, cooked with too!



Notes:

1 As a librarian I really shouldn't point towards such a website, however for quick reference (NB not guaranteed to be written by a reputable source) then here is wikipedia's take on quince. I loved seeing pictures of the plants, and also Plutarch's reportage of Greek brides taking a bite of quince on their wedding night, to perfume their kiss. The saucepots.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince

2 The title of this blog was, of course, taken from Edward Lear's The owl and the Pussycat: 'they dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon'. Nothing like a bit of literature with your food.