Name
Quince
Latin name
Cydonia oblonga
Category
Fruits, wegetables, nuts
Information
Quince, (Cydonia oblonga), a small tree or shrub of the rose family (Rosaceae), cultivated for its edible fruit. The quince is the only member of the genus Cydonia and is native to Iran, Turkey, and possibly Greece and the Crimean Peninsula. The fruit has a strong aroma and is astringent when raw, but makes excellent jam and is often used to add flavour and pungency to stewed or baked apples. The flesh takes on a pink colour when cooked, giving jellies and jams an attractive colour.
Quinces are very fragrant and are used in perfumery. Quinces smell like exotic guava; quinces give off scents of ripening apples and pears; quinces have hints of vanilla, apple. The smell is also slightly powdery and citrus.
