I adore quince. Straight-up giddy love. I do realize, however, that they’re not easy to love. They can be hard to find and it takes some coaxing for them to reach their full potential. (That’s a fancy way of saying you have to cook them for a really long time before they’re even edible.) They seem ancient and they’re hard as a rock, but a bowl of them on the counter will perfume your entire kitchen. Nigel Slater does a much better job than me describing their appeal. They’re starting to pop up here and there are the farmers market right now. I even spotted some labeled as “quince apple” at my neighborhood fruit stand! So, I wanted to share some helpful nudging in the form of my favorite recipes for quince, to help celebrate their arrival. 
Quince Buckle with Pistachio Ginger Streusel is like a really boss coffee cake that is served at my imaginary ideal coffee shop.
I always use David Lebovitz’s rosy poached quince recipe as a guide for poaching quince for use in things like this buckle.
And I always watch this very helpful video from What Julia Ate that demonstrates how to cut a quince without losing a finger.
Quince butter is pumpkin butter’s ruby-hued cousin. This is probably a good time to mention that quince flesh is white, but turns pink when cooked.
Quince Slices in Spiced Chai Syrup from Food in Jars sound dreamy.
I made Yossy’s Quince Custard Cake last year and loved it. Unfussy, rich, and delicious.
My Quince Cream Cheese Danish is the best of ugly/delicious food.
This Quince and Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie from Wayward Spark sounds like sweet/tart magic.
Quince Orange Cardamom Marmalade from Hitchhiking to Heaven is a show-stopper.
What is your favorite way to use quince?
About autumn
Autumn Giles is the creator of Autumn Makes & Does and the co-host of the Alphabet Soup Podcast.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s not very exciting, but jam! It is so easy because of the pectin content. I’d also like to create vegetarian adaptations of some of the many stew recipes I see. For now I am just enjoying their fragrance!
Just finished making the second batch of quince/membrillo cheese.
There are 10 or 12 jars of quince jelly in the cupboard, and used the pulp to make
the membrillo….and it did cook forever. It is drying and we’ve already made a
great dent in the first batch. After dinner, sliced and served with manchego cheese
is so extravagant. Makes me want to plant a quince tree or two. Hard to find in the
markets, often overprices (one wanted $6.99/lb., next door it was $1.99/lb.- California
prices). There are two quince left on the counter, waiting to be poached.