Quoting Shaun Buzza to Jim Weller <=-
You appear to be in Ottawa.
I would appear to be, because it is the nearest major city. I
actually live in a town of about 10k population.
So I'm guessing either Arnprior or Hawkesbury? If Arnprior we were
once nearly neighbours as I grew up near Cobden.
Another nosy question based on your surname.... do you have
Cornish ancestry? I had one Cornish grandparent.
I did not come with a recipe prepared with which to return to topic.
We're not about just recipes. Product reviews are always welcome
too. And general chat of course.
Speaking of product reviews, I just encountered a new to me small
jam & preserve maker: Dalmatia Spreads,
Dalmatia is the coastal portion of Croatia where quinces are widely
cultivated.
It's also the name of a small fruit spread maker in New England. The
owner just might be from Croatia originally. The company website was
vague in that regard. In any event she makes quince and fig spreads
among other fruity things.
It is imported into Canada and distributed by Finica Food Specialties
Limited who also handle Dutch Beemster and a number of other
cheeses. Some Loblaws stores carry it including mine.
I bought the quince spread.
Quinces are related to apples and pears, are bright yellow when ripe
(they are sometimes called golden apples). They have the aroma and
taste of a combination of apple, pear, spice and citrus. When cooked
they become soft and dense, develop a sweet, piquant flavor and
an even richer perfume. The paste becomes a reddish or deep orange
brown colour. It is said to pair nicely with cheeses like Manchego,
Stilton and Parmigiano-Reggiano as well as cured meats like
Prosciutto and Serrano ham.
They are rich in astringent tannins and pectin so they have to be
cooked to be edible. The fruit is often bletted (softened by frost
and subsequent decay) before harvesting as well.
The Dalmatia brand spread is a thick paste, deep orangy-brown, quite
sweet with a very heady perfume and a spicy kick to it that reminded
me of British chutneys. We had our first taste of it spread on
pancakes with sausages along side this past weekend. In fact it was
our first time tasting quince at all. I know that I'm going to serve
it with ham and cheeses in future as suggested, probably with a not
too dry white or rose wine. Or maybe sherry and smoked almonds.
More to follow as I experiment.
Cheers
Jim
... Jam in winter takes away the blue devils. It's like tasting summer.
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