Chaenomeles - Ornamental Quince

Keithster

I've got a lot of fruit this year on my ornamental quince and I wondered whether it would be better to remove as much fruit as possible now so that the shrub puts its energy elsewhere or whether it won't make much difference just to leave them on there.  I don't want the fruit as I've tried in the past to make quince chutney without much success as the fruit was so hard and difficult to process.  I grow the shrub for its flowers.  Any help/opinions would be appreciated. 

amancalledgeorge

I think you have answered your own question. I love quinces but if you don't want them then take them off. It will give the plant a break and will need less water during this hot spell. 

pippip

Quince need to be left to blett before you can eat them…

“...The medlars we harvested are still firm and will now need to be left to blet.  Bletting is a process of softening beyond ripening that certain fleshy fruits such as persimmon, medlar and quince need to undergo, off the tree, to sweeten and soften before we eat them.  We place the whole medlar, flowering end face down, not touching each other, and leave them until they turn a deep brown and are soft, almost squashy, to the touch.

Once bletted, the medlar can be eaten raw.  It has a toffee-ish, apple crumbley sort of taste. Alternatively you can mix its pulp with sugar and / or cream.  You can also make a great fruit jelly from medlar but for this to set you need to combine a few unbletted medlar with the bletted ones for the extra pectin."

https://www.brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk/on-bletting-and-other-autumn-garden-stuff/

amancalledgeorge

In Greece we preserve quince pieces in syrup with whole blanched almonds. A traditional dessert from back in the day. 

One recipe I randomly googled: https://www.kopiaste.org/2008/12/glyko-kydoni-quince-spoon-sweet/

bertrand-mabel

We have never bletted our quinces. Yes they are very hard and you cannot eat them "raw".

Quince jelly, membrillo (quince Cheese), spiced quinces and quince wine are all done by us.

Our medlar....yes it needs to be bletted after the first frosts is the usual time.

Didn't know that you could use the fruit from ornamental quince though.

Buttercupdays

Yes, I made loads of Japonica jelly last year, it has a a lovely flavour and a pretty reddish colour.

I used the recipe in my mum's book, published in 1947, the year she got married, so older than me. It has never let me down, it takes you through every step in detail, so you get it right: The Complete Book of Home Food Preservation, by Cyril Grange

There's only so much jelly you need though, so  I won't be making any this year

Dovefromabove

Chop into chunks and place inside a chicken, guinea fowl or pheasant and pot-roast. The perfume and flavour if gives to the roasted meat and resulting juices in the pot are delicious.