Know your quinces: Cydonia

22nd November 2021

Cydonia oblonga is the fruiting quince, with large apple-like blossoms followed by golden pear-shaped fruit with a very strong scent. It is too tough to be eaten raw but it softens in cooking and the flesh turns pink; it can be used to add its unique aroma to other cooked fruit like apples, or on its own to make a preserve, or spanish membrillo or quince cheese. The tree is small and often multi-stemmed, very hardy , but the fruit is prone to brown rot.