Quince is a fruit that has always intrigued me, a firm fruit , that has a citrus flavor with floral notes. It is quite sour and astringent when eaten raw and it changes color when cooked. Sounds interesting doesn't it? This purchase was the result of dropping my husband off at the airport in the wee hours of the morning and stopping by the farmers' market on the way home. While I was there at the official opening time of 6 a.m. vendors were still setting up on this dark. The quince vendor was ready for business and I was his first sale of the day. I enjoyed perusing the market at the slow pace of the early morning.

On to the recipe, it includes ginger since that is one ingredient that makes it's way into my recipes on a regular basis. This is best made when you are planning to be home for 2-3 hours since that is how long it needs to simmer to get that lovely rosy hue. According to Fine Cooking, the tannin concentration in a quince determines its color. Heat causes tannins to release a red pigment called anthocyanin. Quinces that are rich in tannins become a dark rose.

Ginger Poached Quince

4 c water
1/3 c sugar
3 quince, peeled and sliced
3 coins of fresh ginger, (aka 3 slices of ginger between the diameter of a nickle and a quarter

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan that has a lid. Bring to a gentle boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cover and turn down to a simmer and cook 2-3 hours until pink. You can always stop at the 45 minute mark or when the quince softens, but you will miss out on that wonderful rosy hue. Once you are satisfied with the color, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Take out the ginger coins and store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

This recipe was inspired by one I found by Millie Mire Poix

And of course this topped off my morning yogurt toast with a dusting of pistachios