Book Review | “Simply Quince”

Simply Quince By Barbara Ghazarian 209 Pages Published 2009 Quince (“cer-keh-vil” or սերկևիլ) is a prominent part of Armenian food culture, both in Eastern and Western Armenia. The fruit-bearing quince tree, Cydonia oblonga, originates in the Caucasus regions of Armenia, Georgia and northern Iran. Current day Turkey is the number one grower of quince internationally. Simply Quince is a cookbook written by Barbara Ghazarian, an Armenian whose immigrant family settled at the turn of the 20th century in the small mill town of Whitinsville, Massachusetts in the Blackstone Valley. Ghazarian’s great-grandfather came to work in the mill with thoughts of returning to his home of Pazmachen, in the Harput region of the Ottoman Empire. The quinces used to prepare the 70-recipe collection were donated by the Kaprielian family of Fresno County, who planted quince on their family farm in 1919 and faithfully cultivated the ancestral fruit until the Great Recession in 2008. The cookbook is dedicated to the Armenian people who, like quinces, are rooted in the same soil and have endured through the ages. Quince is one of the oldest cultivars in the world and is grown on five continents. Since Armenian home cooks love to stuff everything (squashes, flowers, grape leaves and fruits) that can be stuffed, Ghazarian includes “quince dolma,” quinces stuffed with rice and meat. Ghazarian says, “If you are a home cook who’s willing to make an apple pie, you are a home cook who can tackle quince.” Quinces are notorious for being a difficult fruit to prepare. She recommends that readers watch what she calls her “headless queen” video on YouTube, where she demonstrates how to handle quinces in the kitchen, using a coring tool and potato peeler. Quince’s high pectin content makes it a perfect candidate for preserving, while its high antioxidant content gives it healthy anti-inflammatory properties. Its seeds are known as a folk remedy for coughs and sore throats. Simply Quince also shares Ghazarian’s grandmother’s “medicinal quince seed tea” recipe. Where to buy or pick quinces in season Quinces arrive in the farmers’ markets of California as early as late August to early September; however, in New England they are not ready to harvest until mid-October — Columbus Day weekend is the perfect time. Armenian or Middle Eastern markets stock fresh quinces from late September through October. To pick your own in Rhode Island, Ghazarian invites you to join her at Rocky Brook Orchard in Middletown, RI. Orchardist Greg Ostheimer offers a wide variety of quinces from Russia and Europe. Ghazarian’s favorite is the unknown variety planted a century back that came with the apple orchard when Ostheimer purchased it decades ago. Featured recipe for candied quince 1 pound fresh quince, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch-thick-wedges (about 3 cups) 3 cups sugar Gently toss the quince wedges with the sugar in a large mixing bowl until covered. Transfer to a large heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat until the sugar melts completely and begins to bubble. Stir often so the fruit does not burn. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 1 ¼ hours, or until the fruit is covered with a rich red caramel-colored, thick gooey syrup. Ladle through a wide-mouthed funnel into sterilized half-pint jars. Cover with lids, screw tops and keep refrigerated. Chilled, candied quince will keep for months. Ghazarian is the self-proclaimed “Queen of Quince” who is a go-to source for anyone with questions on quince. Most recently, her recipe for poached quince was featured in the Seattle Times. Her culinary expertise goes far beyond quince. She also wrote Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy, and her lahmajun recipe was featured in the Smithsonian Magazine. You can buy Simply Quince at Armenian Vendor, the Armenian Prelacy Bookstore or Abril Books.