Quince tints

[Phil C.]

Quince, quince, beautiful quince
Nothing quite like it so here are some hints...

Mrs C has just made several big batches of delicious membrillo. This
amid dealing with a huge health crisis - me _very_ suddenly completely
physically helpless and mentally befuddled while in the care of very
kind relatives. Out-of-hours medical services useless. A perfect storm
of everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Truly this woman is a
wonder among wonders.

For her, membrillo distils the essence of the difference between
common-or-garden pear and quince - like a honeyed scented, more acidic
version. She ain't wrong. The good thing about making membrillo is that
there's no definition of perfection. One batch can be a pleasing rose
colour, the next a lovely gold. It depends on timings, she tells me.
First we eat with our eyes. If the consistency isn't perfect for slicing
jellied and serving with a strong, acidic cheese, then it can be used to
make a jam or as a syrup flavouring for ice cream, yoghurt etc.

Hmm.... perhaps life is worth living after all...

[Ophelia]

Post by Phil C.
Quince, quince, beautiful quince
Nothing quite like it so here are some hints...
Mrs C has just made several big batches of delicious membrillo. This amid
dealing with a huge health crisis - me _very_ suddenly completely
physically helpless and mentally befuddled while in the care of very kind
relatives. Out-of-hours medical services useless. A perfect storm of
everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Truly this woman is a wonder
among wonders.
For her, membrillo distils the essence of the difference between
common-or-garden pear and quince - like a honeyed scented, more acidic
version. She ain't wrong. The good thing about making membrillo is that
there's no definition of perfection. One batch can be a pleasing rose
colour, the next a lovely gold. It depends on timings, she tells me. First
we eat with our eyes. If the consistency isn't perfect for slicing jellied
and serving with a strong, acidic cheese, then it can be used to make a
jam or as a syrup flavouring for ice cream, yoghurt etc.
Hmm.... perhaps life is worth living after all...

That fruit sounds great:) Hope you are well recovered now?

[Phil C.]

Post by Ophelia

Post by Phil C.
Hmm.... perhaps life is worth living after all...

That fruit sounds great:) Hope you are well recovered now?

Not really. Thanks for asking but I'm not looking for sympathy. Just
idly reflecting with an ironic smile to myself. A bit of self-mockery
can be fun. Much better than self-pity.

[Ophelia]

Post by Ophelia

Post by Phil C.
Hmm.... perhaps life is worth living after all...

That fruit sounds great:) Hope you are well recovered now?

Not really. Thanks for asking but I'm not looking for sympathy. Just idly
reflecting with an ironic smile to myself. A bit of self-mockery can be
fun. Much better than self-pity.

Even so, I wish you well:)

[RustyHinge]

Post by Ophelia

Post by Ophelia

Post by Phil C.
Hmm.... perhaps life is worth living after all...

That fruit sounds great:) Hope you are well recovered now?

Not really. Thanks for asking but I'm not looking for sympathy. Just idly
reflecting with an ironic smile to myself. A bit of self-mockery can be
fun. Much better than self-pity.

Even so, I wish you well:)

+1-and-a-bit

[Phil C.]

Post by RustyHinge

Post by Ophelia

Not really. Thanks for asking but I'm not looking for sympathy. Just idly
reflecting with an ironic smile to myself. A bit of self-mockery can be
fun. Much better than self-pity.

Even so, I wish you well:)

+1-and-a-bit

Aw, shucks.

[Malcolm Loades]

Post by Phil C.
Quince, quince, beautiful quince
Nothing quite like it so here are some hints...
Mrs C has just made several big batches of delicious membrillo.

Would Mrs C share her recipe?

I've not made membrillo before but was able to buy 2kgs of quinces from
The Goods Shed Veg Stall in Canterbury today, http://tinyurl.com/phchpr9

From the butcher there I also bought one pig's ear and one tail for the
princely sum of £1 Also something I've never cooked before but Jane
Grigson's Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery has lots of ideas.

Malcolm

[RustyHinge]

Post by Malcolm Loades

Post by Phil C.
Quince, quince, beautiful quince
Nothing quite like it so here are some hints...
Mrs C has just made several big batches of delicious membrillo.

Would Mrs C share her recipe?
I've not made membrillo before but was able to buy 2kgs of quinces from
The Goods Shed Veg Stall in Canterbury today, http://tinyurl.com/phchpr9

I've never heard of it, but I have a treeful of quinces (oblongata) with
which I intend making jelly, cheese and marmalade.

Post by Malcolm Loades
From the butcher there I also bought one pig's ear and one tail for the
princely sum of £1 Also something I've never cooked before but Jane
Grigson's Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery has lots of ideas.

Rather you than me.

I reckon the sausages are the best part of a pig.

[allegoricus]

On Sat, 23 Nov 2013 22:07:10 +0000, RustyHinge
<***@foobar.girolle.co.uk> wrote:
----------------8><

Post by RustyHinge
I reckon the sausages are the best part of a pig.

:-)

[Phil C.]

Post by Malcolm Loades

Post by Phil C.
Quince, quince, beautiful quince
Nothing quite like it so here are some hints...
Mrs C has just made several big batches of delicious membrillo.

Would Mrs C share her recipe?

Sorry - Late reply. She says it's just the usual recipe (i.e. one that
you can find anywhere.) I think it's the idea that counts - quinces seem
easy to obtain from people who've got a tree but don't want the fruit,
for obvious reasons. Repays the effort, which she stresses is
considerable, so worth a good quantity. Easy to freeze, nice, attractive
present, nice addition to cheeseboard etc. Particularly suitable for a
really good old manchego (which I've never found in this country*) or,
especially cabrales as part of a Spanish meal. Sweet fruitiness and
strong acidic cheese - a marriage made in heaven IMO.

*Similar in style to old parmesan, gouda etc but sheepier. Bet that's a
surprise to some people.

I'm not sure exactly how she gets the attractive colour differences. If
not obvious, I'll ask her on one of her flying visits - she's helping
refurb the kitchen. (American oak worktops, apparently. I think that's
the same wood that used to be highly prized for wooden warships. If it
can repel cannon balls, I'm sure it will cope in the kitchen!)

[Malcolm Loades]

Post by Phil C.

Post by Malcolm Loades

Post by Phil C.
Quince, quince, beautiful quince
Nothing quite like it so here are some hints...
Mrs C has just made several big batches of delicious membrillo.

Would Mrs C share her recipe?

Sorry - Late reply. She says it's just the usual recipe (i.e. one that
you can find anywhere.)

Thanks for the reply.

I'd googled for recipes and found two 'usual' types - one required the
quinces to be peeled cored and chopped, the other for them simply to be
chopped up peel, core and all then rubbed through a seive which I
thought may be hard work. In the end I went for the unpeeled system and
put the lot through the finest insert on the mouli.

It seems to have worked and the membrillo has set but since I've not
eaten it before I'm unable to judge how good it is.

Malcolm

[Ophelia]

Post by Malcolm Loades

Post by Malcolm Loades

Post by Phil C.
Quince, quince, beautiful quince
Nothing quite like it so here are some hints...
Mrs C has just made several big batches of delicious membrillo.

Would Mrs C share her recipe?

Sorry - Late reply. She says it's just the usual recipe (i.e. one that you
can find anywhere.)

Thanks for the reply.
I'd googled for recipes and found two 'usual' types - one required the
quinces to be peeled cored and chopped, the other for them simply to be
chopped up peel, core and all then rubbed through a seive which I thought
may be hard work. In the end I went for the unpeeled system and put the
lot through the finest insert on the mouli.

Sounds like a lot hard work to me. I have a sieve attachment on my Kenwood.

Post by Malcolm Loades
It seems to have worked and the membrillo has set but since I've not eaten
it before I'm unable to judge how good it is.

Do report back?

[Malcolm Loades]

Post by Ophelia

Post by Malcolm Loades
I'd googled for recipes and found two 'usual' types - one required
the quinces to be peeled cored and chopped, the other for them simply
be chopped up peel, core and all then rubbed through a seive which I
thought may be hard work. In the end I went for the unpeeled system
and put the lot through the finest insert on the mouli.

Sounds like a lot hard work to me. I have a sieve attachment on my Kenwood.

Cranking it through the mouli was easy, I just didn't fancy forcing it
through a sieve with the back of a spoon.

Post by Ophelia

Post by Malcolm Loades
It seems to have worked and the membrillo has set but since I've not
eaten it before I'm unable to judge how good it is.

Do report back?

Here's a pic www.loades.net/membrillo.jpg

The cheeseboard is for a small dinner party tonight and has a half
Époisses de Bourgogne, Telaggio, Abondance and local Little Ann from our
Farmers' Market. The port is standing by :-)

The Little Ann is only 35g and cost £2.50 which equates to £71.43 per
kilo!!!! I had a taster on the market and it seemed OK but is was as
cold as an ice-cream then which wont have shown it off at its best. I
didn't realise how little I'd get for £2.50, it really needs to be
special at that price. It looks like one mouthful to me.

Malcolm

[Ophelia]

Post by Malcolm Loades

Post by Ophelia

Post by Malcolm Loades
I'd googled for recipes and found two 'usual' types - one required the
quinces to be peeled cored and chopped, the other for them simply be
chopped up peel, core and all then rubbed through a seive which I
thought may be hard work. In the end I went for the unpeeled system
and put the lot through the finest insert on the mouli.

Sounds like a lot hard work to me. I have a sieve attachment on my Kenwood.

Cranking it through the mouli was easy, I just didn't fancy forcing it
through a sieve with the back of a spoon.

Ahhh well it least it is easier than the spoon method:))

Post by Malcolm Loades

Post by Ophelia

Post by Malcolm Loades
It seems to have worked and the membrillo has set but since I've not
eaten it before I'm unable to judge how good it is.

Do report back?

Here's a pic www.loades.net/membrillo.jpg

That looks really good!!!

Post by Malcolm Loades
The cheeseboard is for a small dinner party tonight and has a half
Époisses de Bourgogne, Telaggio, Abondance and local Little Ann from our
Farmers' Market. The port is standing by :-)

Yum:)

Post by Malcolm Loades
The Little Ann is only 35g and cost £2.50 which equates to £71.43 per
kilo!!!! I had a taster on the market and it seemed OK but is was as cold
as an ice-cream then which wont have shown it off at its best. I didn't
realise how little I'd get for £2.50, it really needs to be special at
that price. It looks like one mouthful to me.

You will just have to purse your lips and keep it away from your mouth :))

[Phil C.]

Post by Malcolm Loades

Post by Phil C.

Post by Malcolm Loades

Post by Phil C.
Quince, quince, beautiful quince
Nothing quite like it so here are some hints...
Mrs C has just made several big batches of delicious membrillo.

Would Mrs C share her recipe?

Sorry - Late reply. She says it's just the usual recipe (i.e. one that
you can find anywhere.)

Thanks for the reply.
I'd googled for recipes and found two 'usual' types - one required the
quinces to be peeled cored and chopped, the other for them simply to be
chopped up peel, core and all then rubbed through a seive which I
thought may be hard work. In the end I went for the unpeeled system and
put the lot through the finest insert on the mouli.
It seems to have worked and the membrillo has set but since I've not
eaten it before I'm unable to judge how good it is.

Just checked with the source herself. She says she leaves some scrubbed
peel and takes out cores, chops and boils. Then freezes some, uses some
immediately. Different colours come from mixing different very large
batches.i.e. not all eaten at once! Colour variations come from length
of boil, amount of peel, magical incantations etc etc. Unstrained pulp
is nice with yogurt. Gritty bits no worse than raspberries. Much nicer
than pear - more oomph.