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| QUINCE. |
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| INTRODUCTION |
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ORIGIN AND VARIETIES
The Greeks knew a common variety of quince that they obtained in the city of Cydon, in Crete; hence his scientific name. In Greece the quinces were dedicated to Afrodita, the goddess of the love. This fruit was the symbol of the love and fecundity, and the newlyweds must eat one before entering the wedding room.
The quince is indigenous of southern Europe and of the countries on the banks of the Caspian Sea (forests of the Caucasus, Persia and Armenia). Today it grows of natural form in the center and Southwest of Asia (Armenia, Turkistán, Syria) and is cultivated in Greece, Balkan Countries and Argentina. In Spain there are plantations in Valencia, Murcia, Extremadura and Andalusia.
 The better definite varieties are:
fruits of average size, skin of yellow color I pray and aromatic meat.
of big size, yellow skin and fragrant pulp.
big fruits, with greenish yellow skin and perfumed pulp.
Of Portugal, Vau de Mau and the variety most commercialized in Spain is a Giant of Wranja, with fruits of good caliber, rounded, of smooth and rough skin and compact pulp of color it cremates and acidic flavor. They are very aromatic of intense color and perfume.
HIS BEST EPOCH
The epoch of compilation of the first quinces begins at the end of September and lasts in general until February.
CHARACTERISTICS
 is a knob with form similar to a pear, in most cases, although also it has rounded them.
 the quinces present a length of up to 7,5 centimeters or more and the diameter is about 85-95 millimeters. His middleweight is about 250 grams.
 the skin is of yellow color gilded with a downy and rough texture in a few varieties and smooth and brilliant in others. The pulp is hard and rough, of yellowish white color, and it turns out to be floury and slightly juicy.
 the quince jelly has an acidic and rough flavor that makes her inedible to the native; nevertheless, it is a very aromatic fruit.
HOW TO CHOOSE IT AND TO PRESERVE IT
When he goes to buy quinces there have to be chosen the copies that present the yellowish, completely intact skin, without blows or bruises. Those with the green skin are immature, and the spots in the skin indicate that they are very mature. The latter aspect does not have major relevancy if they go to cook immediately.
Once gathered, the quinces are a few fruits that survive for two or three months. In the hearth, they survive well in the refrigerator for some weeks, wrapped in role and separately. In case the quince is green and it is desirable to accelerate his maturation, they have to survive to a temperature ambience.
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Composition for 100 grams of eatable portion |
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Calories |
25,2 |
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Carbohydrates (g) |
6,3 |
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Fibre (g) |
6,4 |
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Calcium (mg) |
14 |
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Magnesium (mg) |
6 |
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Potassium (mg) |
200 |
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Vitamin C (mg) |
13 |
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| mcg = micrograms |
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NOURISHING PROPERTIES
The quince is a fruit with a scarce sugar content, and therefore a low caloric contribution. The disadvantage that it presents is that in most of the occasions it is consumed in the shape of quince paste, that it has added sugar, therefore the caloric value of this product goes off.
From his nourishing content scarcely they emphasize vitamins and minerals, except the potassium and discreet quantities of vitamin C. Nevertheless, on having been consumed usually cooked, the use of this vitamin is irrelevant. The healthy properties of the quince owe to his plenty in fibre (pectin and mucilages) and tannins, substances that award his excellent astringent property. Also it contains malic acid, organic acid that is part of the vegetable pigment that provides flavor to the fruit, with property disinfectant and of favoring the elimination of uric ácio. The potassium is a mineral necessary for the transmission and generation of the nervous impulse and for the normal muscular activity, it intervenes in the water balance inside and out of the cell.
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