Nothing fills my heart with winter goodness more than seeing winter fruits on offer. Some have the same reaction to summer berries, but for me, winter time is what fills me with happy joy. Sure, we might have to sleep with two quilts instead of one, and we are unceremoniously greeted with too much fog and cold winds these mornings, but at night, when you go to bed with a belly full of baked, stewed or poached winter fruits – you’re halfway to your sweet dreams there and then.
So, finding quinces again at the market are my marker that winter is well and truly upon us; it’s time to eat comfort foods, stay indoors and desserts – baked desserts – are a must. No wonder we all get a bit podgy that time of year.
Quinces are one of the most misunderstood yet amazing fruits on offer in winter time and play a significant role in Greek cookery. They are hard, knobbly yellow fruit grown on trees and are seasonal during the months of March – August. The fruit, however, is only edible when cooked. And because of the bitterness and hardness, it can take hours and hours in the oven to get it to break down and create a luscious dessert.
The Greek name for quince, kithoni, comes from Kidonia in ancient Crete, which was renowned for the quality of the fruit that grew there. However, the quince itself is featured heavily in Ancient Greek times, including biblical, as it is believed that the quince preceded the apple, and was in fact the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. In Greek mythology, the quince is associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. And many believe the golden apple given to her by Paris was a quince. Ancient Greeks associated the quince with fertility, and it played an important role in wedding celebrations where it was offered as a gift, used to sweeten the bride’s breath before entering the bridal chamber, and shared by bride and groom. These associations have resulted in the quince becoming known as the ‘fruit of love, marriage, and fertility’. To the ancients, the quince was a symbol of fertility. At ancient Athenian weddings, the bride was given a quince as a token of and wish for fruitfulness.
Because of their acidic and hard nature, quinces are best cooked for a long time with a variety of spices to enhance their own flavour. Winter spices work best with quince – such as cinammon, star anise, and nutmeg. If you choose to bake quinces, keep in mind it can take up to four to six hours for the fruit to break down and become edible. But the results are phenomenal. Quince makes a common spoon fruit (glyko tou koutaliou) and many Greeks make a batch of quince jam at this time of year. In some parts of Greece, the quince is used in savoury cooking. The dish kidonato features beef stewed with quince.