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...
--
http://www.bra-and-pants.com
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

On Nov 29, 11:50*am, mogga wrote:
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...
--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

I doubt the birds would want to know them till early spring when they
have started to rot.

On Mon, 29 Nov 2010 07:31:24 -0800 (PST), Dave Hill
wrote:

On Nov 29, 11:50*am, mogga wrote:
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...
--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

I doubt the birds would want to know them till early spring when they
have started to rot.

That bad eh?

I'd assumed it'd been filmed not long ago as there were still leaves
on the tree...

Our blackbirds demolished an apple in a day I think this week.
--
http://www.bra-and-pants.com
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

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

I think it's more the colour than a taste thing - it's not part of their search patter. That glowing golden brown colour isn't common in fruit.

On Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:07:45 +0000, 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!


Yes they said about the bletting on the program.
Ta.
--
http://www.bra-and-pants.com
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk