"They dined on mince, and slices of quince, which they ate with a runcible spoon"

Beauty as they say, is in the eye of the beholder, and I am currently enamoured by with this quince. It was a gift from a friend of ours who knows our passion for plants. 

I've been curious about quince since childhood when first hearing the poem "The Owl and the Pussycat" by Edward Lear. But I must confess, that despite reading about the fruit over the years, the first time I had ever seen a quince was on receiving this one. 

It is a great shrubby tree, that grows to no great size (quince rootstock is used in pear trees, as it's semi dwarfing). Its scented blossom is followed by hard, aromatic yellow pome fruit that appear a cross between an apple and a pear. It is also the sole member of the genus Cydonia. 

(First year of blossom)

(Close up of quince blossom) 

The fruit is rock hard and has to be cooked to be enjoyed, which may explain why it seems to have fallen out of favour. In olden days, all fruit was eaten cooked; eating fruit straight from the tree is a modern concept. 

Its most popular use is as a thick jam called marmelo, the Portuguese word for quince and the origin of the word marmalade. 

It has had quite the history: in Jewish mythology, the fruit Eve tempted Adam with was not an apple, but a quince. In this country, it was first recorded around 1275 when Edward I had some planted at the Tower of London.  

We shall watch with interest as this tree grows. Experience has taught me that an abundance of blossom is no guarantee of a bountiful crop. So it may be a while before we finally get to taste a quince. 

In the meantime, I shall scour the antique shops for a runcible spoon. 

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