Hi,
I have seen a loads of bushes in the wild behind where I work, they are now covered in these brown fruit! After a bit of googling I have come to the conclusion that they are medlars. The bushes are about 150cm tall, with large dark glossy leaves and the fruit is similar to a rosehip, but brown and about the size of a plum. Is that them?
What are they like? I gather you have to let them start to rot before using them (charming) - are they like quinces, because I rather like those.
More importantly, as they are wild, are they sure to be medlars? Are there any plants that resemble them but will cause a long agonising death if I eat them?? I took a pic with my phone but haven't got my cable here to upload photos...
They sound very much like Medlars - we have a tree on our allotment and its covered with fruit this year. You pick them about now and leave them to ripen - which is to rot a bit - before you eat them, I put mine on a plastic tray in the greenhouse. There will be lots of stones in them, The taste is difficult to describe, its quite acid and sort of 'dry and mealy'
I saw some pictures of the inside of the fruit - I will go down and get one and open it to see if inside it has the big seeds they say it has. Not too sure what hubby will think of more fruit rotting in the pantry!!!! I keep having to chuck out apples as they slowly go off!
I am a bit wary of wild fruit, as I don't want to poison myself. But they really are exactly like in the wikipedia photo. I walked past them several times and wondered what they were. There is loads of fruit!!!!
I've come accross medlars in the semi-wild, but it is a bit unusual. but your description does sound right. I have one in the garden and it's a good 2.0m tall, they're quite strong growers really much like an apple.
My favourite description of medlars is Bob FLowerdew's, who recommends digging it up and burning it!
Like you say, you eat them half-rotten - bletted is the word - and they taste just like half-rotten rose hips - who'd have thought.
I've made a good medlar jelly (went very well with turkey & chicken) with some from a well known nearby RHS garden. Well, they were just lying there on the ground rotting... They have around 5 different varieties there, all about 2m tall.
IIRC, Chaucer made a lot of smutty jokes about medlars and the part of the anatomy they resemble. But it's okay to snigger 'cos he's culture!
I wasn't aware of the Chaucer connection, but I believe the French call them a "dog's arse" (in French, as they will) - the puckered blossom-end is rather anatomical.
OH refuses to let me have one... not even a "Nottingham"... :-X
We need a pic for educational purposes ;D
Quote from: betula on October 20, 2011, 18:36:54
We need a pic for educational purposes ;D
Actually this is pretty close - :-X
;D ;D ;D
I have one in the garden and it is weighed down with fruit this year. Fancied a change from medlar jelly or cheese, so a bit of googling later, I now have a couple of kilner jars of medlar vodka brewing nicely in the kitchen. Same idea as sloe gin, fling a load in the jar, chuck in some sugar and fill to the brim with vodka. That's the Christmas drinks cabinet sorted.
Quote from: Mrs Ava on October 20, 2011, 22:42:32
I have one in the garden and it is weighed down with fruit this year. Fancied a change from medlar jelly or cheese, so a bit of googling later, I now have a couple of kilner jars of medlar vodka brewing nicely in the kitchen. Same idea as sloe gin, fling a load in the jar, chuck in some sugar and fill to the brim with vodka. That's the Christmas drinks cabinet sorted.
Would that work without the medlars as there's none around here? :D
OK when I say that they are wild, in fact there is a sort of park behind my offices and they have obviously been planted. I nipped down last night and got about a kilo to try. I guess nothing ventured nothing gained.... I quite like quince so maybe I would like that too. I opened one, it is definitely that, it is white inside with a few small pear-like pips, and the flesh is like a very floury apple, very acidic and makes your mouth pucker like a sloe!
they are small but unblemished, and I managed not to stick one of the very well concealed thorns in my hand while picking!
Yes I understand that they were a staple food in the Middle Ages. But I guess that in these days of convenience foods, and "perfect" fruit and veg, a fruit that you need to start rotting before using it is probably not to everyone's taste! You are right about the photo, I will try to get it off the phone via bluetooth
Hmmm, no thorns on a medlar. Can you post some pics of the fruit?
This is a medlar - photo from Wikipedia:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Medlar_pomes_and_leaves.jpg/220px-Medlar_pomes_and_leaves.jpg)
French defnatly got it right- just reminds me of my terrier's :-X
Yeah that's them! Well, it was almost dark, I may have mistaken a spine for the end of a branch! Since harvesting gooseberries and being multiply stabbed by thorns, I am extremely wary of them!
They are smaller than the ones in the picture, but the trees are only young, they are about 1.5 to 2m high.
The tree:
(http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q319/antipodes_photo/garden%202011/medlar_bush.jpg)
And a closer pic of the fruit (sorry about the thumb in the pic! and my phone takes rubbish photos!):
(http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q319/antipodes_photo/garden%202011/medlar_closeup.jpg)
Oh yes, medlars no question.
Lovely fruit. If you don't fancy their decaying flesh, make something with them. There seem to be plenty of recipes.
4 days later and they are already turning soft. I saw some more wild trees while out for a walk yesterday, funny that, they do get much bigger.
I will make apple and medlar cheese this week ;)
** UPDATE **
The medlars did for the most part go soft. I opened one and actually the flesh is intriguing, a sort of caramel flavour, a bit like a date but softer. It was quite nice although I don't think I would really want to eat it that way. I made a little apple and medlar jelly, only two jars but then again I did not take that much fruit: I spiced it a little with ginger and nutmeg. It has only set lightly but the taste I thought was quite good. I will try serving it with cold meat next time I have some.