Quince

This was my first cooking acquaintance with fresh quinces. I've eaten them in the form of membrillo paste which is an altogether different experience.
In their raw state quinces are very firm and quite tart – impossible to eat them as an apple or a pear that they resemble, so cooking them is the best option to allow for softening and sweetening.

They are quite tricky to prepare and you must be careful when cutting them in half, as the tough flesh resists the knife most dangerously – all too easily to slip and then, well you know...
The core is as hard as stone so I halved the quinces and set about them with one of those Parisienne/melon baller things, which had the desired effect after some brute force. If anyone thinks I'm doing it wrong or knows of a better way, please let me know.

After the battle, I finally got them into some warm poaching syrup until they became tender. The texture is like pear but the flavour is scented and reminiscent of honey.
They can be eaten in desserts, or as I did, served with meats like pork.
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