| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| sally_in_wales |
Mmm, medlarsHad my first dish of medlars tonight. Gareth brought them home from a tree at work a few weeks ago and they have been quietly bletting. Decided they were ready tonight, so Gareth did them with cream and sugar all mixed together. Realy yummy. Want to try them in combination with baked apple and dates next, reckon the flavours will go very well together. |
| 2steps |
saw my first ever medlar tree in a garden last year. been to shy to go ask if I can pick a few  what do they taste like?
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| gil |
I picked mine about a week ago, and they're still bletting. Nowhere near yet, but they were starting to fall. |
| jp |
Err...Medlars....bletting.... is this real? What does it mean, I've never heard of this before 
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| gil |
Yep
Medlars are a fruit that looks like a large rosa rugosa rosehip, but has skin like a russet apple. Very hard fruit, not very nice, UNTIL..... it is bletted. i.e. till it is so ripe it is almost (but not quite) rotting, and goes soft. more info here Pick them after the frosts have started, and ripen further indoors. A bit like ripening pears or quinces, but you take it further. Whitebeam is another fruit that needs bletting before using, as is service tree. |
| jp |
Crumbs, you learn something new every day  Thanks Gil.
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| Gavin Bl |
I happened upon a tree when out visitng some friends, and managed to pick enough to make only a couple of jars of medlar jelly. We had it over xmas, esp on boxing day with cold turkey - every one went crazy for it.
I believe 'medlar' is a corruption of Old English, meaning 'open arse', due to the very puckered appearance of one end of the fruit!! I was indifferent to the bletted fruit raw, but the jelly was sensational. A beautiful near transparent coral colour, with sudden intense hit of flavour somewhere between pineapple and fig. |