The forgotten medieval fruit with a vulgar name

www.bbc.com...

The fruit reached its peak in the 1600s when it was widely grown across England – as ordinary as apples, pears, mulberries and quince. From this lofty pinnacle, it underwent a steady decline. It was still widely known until the early 20th Century, though less celebrated. Then in the 1950s it abruptly vanished from the public consciousness altogether.

Once a household name, described by one Roman commentator as amounting "almost to a craze", now the medlar is primarily grown as a romantic relic from the past – a niche plant for eccentric gardeners and a historical curiosity at palaces and museums.

must add Medlar to my food bucket list.

sounds a bit like the USA pawpaw, other than the ripening in December part.

anyone with any experience with the Medlar?

I had never heard of the medlar. When looking it up, I came across something else I hadn't heard of. "Bletting", which is a process of softening that certain fleshy fruits undergo, beyond ripening. There are some fruits that are either sweeter after some bletting, such as sea buckthorn, or for which most varieties can be eaten raw only after bletting, such as medlars, persimmons, quince, service tree fruit, and wild service tree fruit

The person who gave it the disgusting name should have been prohibted from ever naming any food again. Ever!

I found some more on the medlar here.

originally posted by: ElGoobero
anyone with any experience with the Medlar?

We have some of these on our property in Italy, they frequently get used for winter desserts.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I have an Italian friend whose grandma used to make a type of dessert that was like a mix of tiramisu and cheesecake!
It should have been a controlled substance. It was that good.

a reply to: ColeYounger

Do you know where in Italy they were from? I'm curious to see what this is.

a reply to: ElGoobero

What is vulgar about the name?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

It was somewhere near Naples.

originally posted by: ColeYounger
It was somewhere near Naples.

Yeah, same as my family, we're from Campania. It's probably a nespole torte, the consistency is like lemon curd.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

It was years ago when I last had that dessert. I wish I would've gotten the recipe.
Her pastas were fantastic too. She would usually whip up some fairly simple pasta dishes, but once in a while she would make a pasta that seemed to take all day.
I remember an episode of The Sopranos where Tony's uncle junior said: "We taught the world how to eat."
I immediately thought of her!

originally posted by: ColeYounger
It was years ago when I last had that dessert. I wish I would've gotten the recipe.
Her pastas were fantastic too. She would usually whip up some fairly simple pasta dishes, but once in a while she would make a pasta that seemed to take all day.
I remember an episode of The Sopranos where Tony's uncle junior said: "We taught the world how to eat."
I immediately thought of her!

LOL. I say **** like that to my friends when they come over for pasta, which happened this past Friday.

Hmmm .... open-arse...What is it's real name.....Has to be half rotted to eat?

a reply to: ElGoobero

hmmm.

There is that saying we use on someone we know very good, to describe their at-the-moment-attitude of stupidness.

We tell them "I think you have an open arse". We use it when someone does something very stupid, with an attitude of "I know what I do".

Maybe it is connected to the craze about "open-arse".

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Yes, the Nespola. They sell those in every market and supermarket here in Italy.

It is one of my favourite fruits. It's sweet yet tangy. The pulp is similar in texture and colour to an apricot. Inside you typically find three big seeds that are super shiny, a bit slimy and a beautiful metallic brown colour.

They are ripe to eat when the outer skin begins to form brown blotches.

I've only ever eaten them as a fresh fruit, but I know people make many desserts with them and jams / preserves.

originally posted by: ColeYounger
a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I have an Italian friend whose grandma used to make a type of dessert that was like a mix of tiramisu and cheesecake!
It should have been a controlled substance. It was that good.

From your description and the fact she was from Naples, I'm pretty sure what you ate was Pastiera Napoletana

Is a type of Neapolitan tart made with cooked wheat, eggs, ricotta cheese, and flavoured with orange flower water. It is usually eaten at Easter.

en.m.wikipedia.org...

Here's a recipe for you! If you can't find cooked wheat, it can be substituted with rice... Arborio works best.

Recipe for Pastiera Napoletana

originally posted by: Encia22
I've only ever eaten them as a fresh fruit, but I know people make many desserts with them and jams / preserves.

My aunt makes that jam, it reminds me of persimmons.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Encia22
I've only ever eaten them as a fresh fruit, but I know people make many desserts with them and jams / preserves.

My aunt makes that jam, it reminds me of persimmons.

I really hate Sharon! The Cachi is a fruit I've detested since childhood... and that's a long time ago!

I can't get over how slimy it is when ripe. I hate the texture both ripened and the hard variety. I find it much too sweet and nauseating. Even as a jam I can't stand it. Ultimately, I don't like any aspect of this fruit.

a reply to: Encia22

But how do you really feel?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Not saying. I'll keep it under my sombrero!

originally posted by: Encia22
Not saying. I'll keep it under my sombrero!

Sombrero? No cappelli?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

It's wider, more shade and I can keep my nespole on the rim until bletted!