Quince Tartines

In our region, quince is mainly known transformed into flavorful jelly. But the rock-hard, aromatic fruit can do much more than just serve as a delicious spread on Sundays. So let’s start from the beginning …

From a purely visual point of view, the yellow fruit with the velvety fluff could pass as a cuckoo child from Mrs. Apple and Mr. Pear – but this is not the case. The fragrant fruit has been a favorite for thousands of years, with origins in Asia. From there it came to Europe via Greece. With more than 200 varieties, only a few can be eaten raw, because most of them are woody, hard and taste very bitter due to the numerous tannins.

When cooked, on the other hand, quince is not only edible, but also delights everyone with its taste, reminiscent of apple, pear, lemon and a hint of rose. With their high fiber, pectin and tannin content, quinces are particularly valuable for the digestive tract. Last, but not least, quince seeds also offer benefits; they contain abundant mucous substances, which have a healing effect on sore throats and coughs. Simply suck on the dried quince seeds.

When creating our recipe this month, we had a vision; we wanted to bring the quince into local kitchens and at the same time show how versatile it is. We have more than succeeded in doing this with our quince tartines! The mix of the crispy bread, creamy cheese and the sweet and sour quince makes the tartines the perfect autumn snack – either for an aperitif or in combination with a crunchy salad as a starter.