On 2010-11-29, Sacha wrote:

On 2010-11-29 11:50:52 +0000, mogga said:

Did anyone watch bbc1 last night when they picked the medlars?
They looked gross but now I want to try one!

I know where one is but the orchard has been fenced off ... and I'm
not sure there'll be any left if the birds have been at them...

You can't - or at least you shouldn't - eat them straight off the tree.
You have to let them blet, which means to ripen to the
not-quite-rotten point. when they turn a sort of red-brown they'll be
edible or can be made into jams and jellies. Pick in November, keep
them in a dry cool place and wait!

I missed the TV show but there was something about medlars (&
bletting) in The Guardian's magazine on Saturday.

Bletting allows the cell walls to break down, converting starch
into sugars and decreasing the acid and tannins. It makes a hard,
bitter fruit into a sweet one.

It's almost impossible to transport a ripe medlar; they burst at
the slightest pressure and selling an unripe medlar with a "leave
to rot" tag isn't a priority for most shops. So the medlar remains
a forgotten fruit. It's a shame because it is the perfect small
garden tree.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...fowler-medlars