Medlar an unusual fruit

[David Hare-Scott]

I pulled my medlars to make jelly this week and came across some unusual examples.

This is the bottom view of a typical fruit. They are about 4-5 cm across. You can see why it is called the 'open arse fruit'.

Here is a strange one. As far as I can tell there are leaves growing from the fruit itself, not something you see too often.

same album shows the tree and flowers for those who are interested.

David

[echinosum]

I thought one generally made medlar jelly with bletted medlars, to get that particular medlar flavour, hence picking them in mid Autumn. Though one recipe I saw suggested keeping the medlars in a bowl for some days to soften if they hadn't bletted on the tree. Either way, picking them now seems very early - you wouldn't pick your Bramleys now to turn into jelly would you, even if they had enlarged.

Surely the "leaves" are the flower sepals, having an unusual persistence: just the same thing as one sees blackened around the arse end of an apple, but on a larger scale and staying green for longer.

[David Hare-Scott]

I pick as late as possible, the leaves are falling now so there is no point in keeping them on the tree any longer.

No it is very late, these flowered in September. I am in Australia. This is an international newsgroup!

Yes they do need to be bletted but after a cool damp summer they are not going to do it on the tree so they are sitting on a table indoors ripening. If the dogs will only stop stealing them.

Quite possibly.

David

[David Hare-Scott]

> interesting looking fruit. what does it taste like?

Raw the flavour is not much, like quinces in that respect, nor is the texture or colour. Cooked it makes good jelly which can be a vibrant red colour and tastes like spicy apples.

> i've never seen the tree/flowers/fruit before, thanks for

They are close relatives of apples (and quinces and pears).

D

[Farm1]

Which of course is why David is picking them NOW. It is midwinter where he and I live in the Southern Hemisphere.

[Farm1]

>>> interesting looking fruit. what does it taste like?

Regardless of their taste or even usefulness (or that interestingly gritty testure), I find them a most delightful small tree - gorgeous in Spring. I had a brilliant crop this year and then the sodding parrots arrived and not a one was left. And if I have to spread yet one more piece of bird netting I think I'll spew so please don't suggest that I do that.

[David Hare-Scott]

>>>>> interesting looking fruit. what does it taste like?

Yes in spring the flowers and new leaves are nice and so they are quite a handsome tree without fruit. This can be seen in the other pictures for those who don't have access to one.

D

[echinosum]

While visiting Czech Rep (my wife is Czech) we have come across several people growing them there as ornamentals without realising the fruits have any use. This is surprising, as usually Czechs are more awake to the possibilities of using nature's bounty than the Brits.