Dubonnet is one of those somewhat old-fashioned drinks that I heard about when I was first old enough to drink but never really made it to my glass. Queen Elizabeth's favourite drink was reportedly a Gin & Dubonnet (and the Queen Mother's as well). What is Dubonnet? It is a sweet, fruity, aromatic wine-based aperitif with a thick, almost syrupy texture, that is a blend of fortified wine, herbs, and spices. It is similar-ish to sweet vermouth (and perhaps campari): a touch sweet, a little … [Read more...]
Quince Jam Recipe
Quinces are quite an old-fashioned fruit that not many people have these days but, if you are lucky to know someone with a tree who will share some with you, make the most of them as the taste is divine. They are like large ugly yellow very hard pears that turn a gorgeous ruby red when you cook them long enough. 5 large quinces 1.5 litres water 2.25 kg sugar ¼ cup lemon juice Wipe the quinces well to remove the fuzz from the skin. You can boil them whole but if there are black spots and … [Read more...]
Poached Quince Recipe
I've never grown quinces myself but my friend Dominique has a tree and gave me a bagful this year. I had to read up about them and my first effort was to make quince jelly and quince paste (the only things I had ever heard done with quinces). As I had some quinces left over I decided to try this Poached Quince recipe. Quinces are a strange fruit (full of fibre and vitamin C) that magically turn a deep ruby red colour after you cook them for a long period of time. 1 cup sugar 2 cups … [Read more...]
Quince Jelly and Quince Paste
I've never grown quinces myself but my friend Dominique has a tree and gave me a bagful this year. I had to read up about them and decided that I would make quince jelly and quince paste (the only things I had ever heard done with quinces). See also Poached Quinces. Quinces are a strange fruit (full of fibre and vitamin C) that magically turn a deep ruby red colour after you cook them for a long period of time. I found this recipe from Annabel Langbein where you can make both quince jelly and … [Read more...]
Poached Quinces
I've heard about quinces but have never had them before myself, so when my friend Dominique gave me a bagful I had to read up about what do do with them before making this poached quince recipe. They are a peculiar sort of fruit: you can't just pick and eat one raw - you need to cook them for a long time before you eat them. However they are a great source of fibre and also high in vitamin C. They are ready to use when firm with a pale yellow skin, but they may still have some fuzziness on … [Read more...]