The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words:

I am also beginning to think we are talking about two different plants.
Some folk on this thread have talked about quinces as being
(1) Hard as a rock
(2) Pear shaped

I dispute the hard as a rock allegation. When ripe the flesh could be
dug out with a spoon, though it was a bit granular.

The quinces of my youth could be (and were) slaughtered easily with a Boy
Scout's knife.

We weren't allowed those at boarding school, but they cut and peeled
well with a penknife.

They were only somewhat harder than a firm apple.

Agreed.

They were also not pear shaped at all.

Ah. Incompatibility sets in. Ours were decidedly pear-shaped - in a
literal sense.

More like lumpy spheres of about 8
cm diameter. The lumpiness corresponded to a typical variation in radius
from a true sphere of around +- 5 mm. The surface was woolly, but the wool
rubbed off very easily.

No. Closer in shape to japonica then.

The fruit had a delicious astringent-sweet-acid flavour. The jelly was a
must with lamb.

Hmmmm.

One of my old fiends (alas, passed away many years ago) used to
scandalise waiters at functions like The Lord Mayor's banuets (He was a
Common Councillor and Freeman of the City of London) by asking for mint
sauce *AND* redcurrant jelly with lamb.

greed

I shall from henceforth demand quince jelly TAAAW.

/greed

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm