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Re: Medlar

Do you think they could be dipped in wiskey, sealed in a plastic bag for a
few days to remove the astringent properties?  We do this with persimmons.
Makes even the most highly astringent cultivares edible when crunchy and
even on the green side.  Somehow this breaks down the tannins in the fruit.

At 07:55 AM 6/9/98 -1000, you wrote:
>On Tue, 9 Jun 1998  Nick wrote:
>
>>> Does someone know what kind of fruit is "medlar"?
>>> Thanks in advance,
>
>>It's Mespilus germanica, a tree in the rose family, the fruit of which is
>>eaten when overripe and starting to decay (i.e. a bit like the wild
>>persimmon in the U.S., Diospyros virginiana). I've seen medlars growing
>>once, in an old, abandoned orchard in the Sierra Nevada mountains of S.
>>Spain. 
>
>To add to this, it is an 'ancient' fruit probably introduced into much
>of Europe by the Romans and is thought to have originated in the
>Middle East well before pre-Christian times.  It was known by the
>Greeks in 200BC.  Almost certainly, it was introduced here into
>England, during Roman times and was still a well established and
>popular, winter fruit over a thousand years later.  Whilst most
>closely related to Pyrus species, the medlar also shows considerable
>affinities with both Sorbus and Crataegus.  It was a great favourite
>at the diner table in medieval England and was widely cultivated at
>that time.  
>
>The fruits are rounded or top shaped, brown, hard and indigestible
>until they have been frosted and then allowed to soften through
>partial decay.  Sounds revolting I know, but the English found a way
>around this by describing the process as 'Bletting'.    The name
>Medlar is derived from 'Meddler' - referring to the belief that it was
>one of old Saturn's fruits, supposed to prolong a woman's desire.   At
>one time, more genteel of folk referred to the medlar as 'Saturn's
>Fruit', whilst those of more lowly origin called it 'Bare-Arses', such
>was the similarity of the shape to that part of the human anatomy!
>Since medieval folk were much pre-occupied with the 'comeliness' of
>the rear of a well rounded woman, we can easily see how due to its
>shape, the fruit was associated with Saturnalian pleasures of the day.
>
>I've eaten medlars in the past and although the flavour is rather
>agreeable, the somewhat 'mushy' texture combined with a degree of
>grittiness, takes some getting used to!  It makes a wonderful, orange
>coloured jelly which is very acceptable with game and is in my
>opinion, far superior to Quince Jelly, being less astringent and not
>quite so overpoweringly perfumed. 
> 
>As a garden plant, the medlar has much to recommend it.  A tough, slow
>growing small tree with a few sharp spines and rather attractive,
>fairly large, solitary white, tinged pink flowers borne in June.
>These are quickly self pollinating and fruit is almost inevitable
>following flowering.  Medlars produce quite acceptable autumn colour
>with the rather broad leaves taking on hues of russets, orange, yellow
>and brown before falling.  It will grow in a wide range of soils and
>once established, can withstand a fair amount of heat and drought.  It
>has long been established as a 'wild plant' in the hedgerows of
>southern England and is no doubt, an escape from the early Roman
>gardens.
>
>David Poole
>
Mach T. Fukada, Web Master
fukada@hawaii.edu
Honolulu Aquarium Society
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/2948/HASF.html
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