Content
- An extraordinary fruit - the medlar
- What does this fruit look like?
- When are you ready?
- What can they be used for?
- Tips & Tricks
An extraordinary fruit - the medlar
Probably the few know them and know something to do with them. They would walk straight past the ripe specimens at harvest time in late autumn. Everything you should know about the fruits of the medlar
What does this fruit look like?
Medlars were much better known today than they are today. They are exceptionally different than most fruits known in this country. They are also referred to as stone apples, as they are extremely hard and inedible before a frost effect.
Reminiscent of quinces or pears, they are usually much smaller. While the original medlar grows between 2 and 4 cm, cultivars grow up to 7 cm in size. Are spherical-flattened, brown in the mature state and have a felted shell. A striking feature are the sepals of the flowers that are still preserved on the fruits.
When are you ready?
Medlars can be harvested after the first frosts in autumn. The ideal harvest time is between early November and early December. If they grow in areas without frost, they can, for example, ripen on straw in straw boxes after harvesting.
Frost or ripening will cause the fruits to soften and volatilize the tannins they contain. Previously, they are not very tasty and due to the high amount of tannins astringent, which is noticeable in the mouth by an uncomfortable contracting feeling.
At maturity the medlars are:
What can they be used for?
Mature fruits can be used to multiply the plant. For this purpose, the cores contained in the doughy pulp are freed and cleaned. They can be planted in the spring. However, this propagation method is considered very tedious ...
The medlars are not poisonous and therefore edible in the raw and cooked state. Raw can be picked directly from the shrub or tree and consumed. They are suitable for processing into jam, mush, puree, compote, juice and wine. They can be combined well with autumn fruit such as apples, rose hips and sloes.
In addition to their good taste, the medlars convince with their health value. They contain a lot of vitamins, minerals and trace elements and become a valuable fruit for the cold-marked autumn time. Ingested, they promote digestion, have an anti-inflammatory effect and slow down calcification processes (helpful, for example, in arteriosclerosis)
Tips & Tricks
Medlars can not be stored in the soft state for long. Store them in the refrigerator and consume them within five days.