A weekly series on what to do with your farmers' market impulse buys and CSA box surprises.
Quince resemble pears, only shorter with brighter coloring. They can be found in the Bay Area from September through November. The raw flesh is pale in color, hard and highly acidic. Once cooked, they become soft, pink in color and produce a sweet flowery aroma.
How do I know I have a good one? Look for quince that are firm and heavy. The color should be more yellow than it is green.
How do I cook it? Quince are delicious cooked into a jam, poached, or made into a paste to accompany cheese. To poach: peel, halve and core 2 quince. Combine 4 cups water, 1 cup sugar, the juice of half of a lemon and 1 cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to combine. Reduce heat and simmer quince for 1.5 hours or until they become soft. Serve warm over vanilla ice cream.
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