Quinceslook like a cross between an apple and pear, and smell like flowers. Unfortunately, when raw, they are dry and coarse to the touch, more like cardboard than anything else I can think of, and I haven't yet got up the nerve to put one in my mouth. But if you boil them up with lemon peel and water and then add an equal volume of sugar to the resultant puree, you get a beautiful ruby coloured gel, which holds its shape and can be sliced or cubed, and paired with cheese. I've eaten it sliced thin and very dry with an aged Manchego, and bright yellow and fresh tasting. My fondest memory of it was at a communal dinner in Ribadiso. It had come from a local cafe, and was soft and salmon pink. We had it with a huge round of the local Arzua Ulloa cheese, which was buttery and seemed to melt in our mouths. A peak culinary experience if ever there was one.
The closest thing I can get to membrillo here is the Portugese mermelada, which is essentially the same thing, but since its mass produced and comes in a plastic tub, it lacks the vividness of colour and essence of the good life in Iberia.
So, to remedy that, I decided to make my own. I had trouble finding quinces locally so I begged some from my daughter, who works in a toney Italian grocery store in the big city. After that it was easy. Boil, puree in the food mill,
add the sugar, boil and boil and boil and simmer and simmer and simmer, and bake in a slow oven....unfortunately, not quite slow enough. After several hours of this nonsense it was the right colour, except around the edges where it was decidedly blackened. It didn't look like it would set into a block, but I let it cool and hoped for the best. It tastes delicate and looks fresh, but is definitely jammy rather than gel-ly. It should look like this.
But, it looks like this.
I have found some more quinces, and will try again, since I seem to have eaten the whole batch! Membrillo Mach II, coming up!
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