One of the most pleasant and satisfying ways of dealing with rainy and gloomy days in autumn is cooking some homemade preserves. Get acquainted with the calendar of the seasonality of fruits and vegetables, and then prepare colorful and healthy dishes that will make real golden autumn on your plate. Today, we present so-called Polish lemons that are perfect for jelly, jam, compote, honey, or liqueur – quinces.
Quinces resemble apples with an elongated shape but they are sourer. Also, due to the hard skin and graininess, we should not eat them raw. Quinces skin is full of cellulose that cannot be digested by a human easily. Therefore, people usually do not know how to cook quinces.
In ancient times, quince was a symbol of fertility and before their wedding night, the brides chewed a piece of it for a fresh breath. Nowadays, we can still distinguish certain positive effects of this fruit. It contains the highest amount of pectin among all fruits and a lot of vitamin C. Thus, it is often called a Polish lemon. It also has a beautiful, citrus scent, therefore, apart from the kitchen, it is also great as an air freshener.
These fruits are picked from September to October and are ideal for homemade jelly, jam, compote, honey, or liqueur. Moreover, eating quince is recommended in the fall and winter seasons because:
– it is a rich source of vitamins C, A, niacin, and B vitamins,
– it contains phosphorus, magnesium, copper, potassium, sulfur, calcium, iron,
– it is rich in organic acids
– it has an antibacterial effect,
– it effectively treats colds and flu,
– it stimulates digestion and strengthens the appetite,
– it regenerates the liver,
– it strengthens the body’s immunity,
– it contains many active substances such as pectins and tannins
– pectins remove heavy metals from the body,
– it lowers the level of bad cholesterol,
– it reduces the risk of cancer,
– it has a calming effect.
Check the recipe for quinces jam:
Ingredients:
– 35 oz of quince
– 2 lb of sugar
– 17 fl oz of water
– 1 vanilla bean (split down its length)
– juice of half a lemon
Recipe:
1. Peel quinces and cut them into smaller pieces.
2. Remove the hard centers and cut the rest into thin strips.
3. Put the quince into a large pot, pour water, add sugar, and vanilla bean and cook it over high heat until the liquid is thick.
4. Finally, add the lemon juice.
5. Pour the jam into jars.
6. Put the jars in a wide saucepan and pasteurize for about half an hour.