Mecca Ibrahim blog: Quintessential quince

Quinces are an ancient fruit. Originating from Iran and the Caucuses, it was already prolific in Europe by the Roman times - it was even thought that quinces were cultivated before apples. England first recorded the quince in 1275, when Edward I planted some at the Tower of London. It’s strange that even though that was over 700 years ago, we still feel they are an exotic fruit. Now most British quinces are imported, and Turkey still produces over one quarter of the world's total quinces. A quince looks like the cross between a pear and a lumpy apple - squat, with a golden yellow skin. However in terms of taste and texture though, it's quite different. The flesh is pappy and astringent. The outer skin is rough and woolly. Quinces become available round October, where they are most commonly found in farmer's markets or well-stocked greengrocers. As with apples, if you store them carefully in a cool, dry place, they can be kept for a long amount of time. Cooking with quince: During cooking, quince will soften, and its hard yellow flesh will magically turn pink and fragrant. They can be poached, roasted and stewed. Whatever the method, the key is to cook quinces for a long time at a low temperature. Whether, you’re going to add them to sweet or savoury dishes they are often cooked with a drizzle of honey or a little sugar. Spice also helps when cooking - anything from a touch of cloves or cinnamon, to Chinese five spice. Thanks to quince’s high levels of pectin, it’s a popular fruit for making preserves. Also the shelf life of half-baked quinces can also be lengthened by storing them in alcohol or sugar syrup. What to serve with quince: Quince and apple complement each other very well. You’ll find they are often used to enhance an apple sauce, an apple pie or crumble. Here, Geoffrey Smeddle uses quince alongside Granny Smiths, raisins and shallots to make a compote. Also as quince's season coincides with game, it’s no surprise to find that they are often partnered with anything from hare to partridge. Quince is also perfect at cutting through fatty, rich flavours - and is often paired with pork and, of course Manchego cheese. For more help and  advice on cooking with quince visit Great British Chefs.     Mecca is Head of Social Media at Great British Chefs. At work she is known for her chocolate desserts and boundless enthusiasm for social media. She has spent the last 10 years in community management and online marketing at some of the biggest and most innovative internet businesses out there (Yahoo, Justgiving, moo.com and Joost). She also hosts an annual food blogging competition called Nom Nom Nom.