“They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon, the moon.
They danced by the light of the moon.”
~ Edward Lear, The Owl and the Pussy-Cat
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I like quinces.
They’ve been around Europe since before medieval times, mentioned in literature by both the Romans and the Greeks.
If you’ve ever seen one in the produce section of the grocery store here on this side of the pond, you know that they’re pretty to look at, a nice yellow color.
Albeit they’re as hard as a butternut squash when you go to cut into one, they have an interesting shape, as seen in the image above.
They taste like spicy pear to me, and are delicious when made into a jelly or jam.
Or yummy as Membrillo [aka quince paste] with some Spanish Manchego Cheese OR Irish White Cheddar Cheese.
On an English Water Cracker, of course. OR on an Italian Crostini, if that’s what you have around.
Perhaps with a glass of chilled New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc while sitting on a North American deck, waiting for the sun to set and the moon to rise, enjoying nature.
Yes, this is what I think of when I think of quinces: charming words, delicious international nibbles + kicking back to relax.
See why I like ’em?
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
