I have room for one quince tree, and am trying to decide between a couple varieties. At the fruit show, one of the HOS people said that Aromatnaya didn't keep well. I would like to have something I can store in my garage and use it over at least a couple months. I haven't been able to find storage info online - does anyone know how long Kaunching and Kuganskaya will hold in storage? I am thinking one of these varieties because I have heard they are edible even when not cooked. Thanks!
Hi Janet,
I think that Kuganskaya and Crimea are the best tasting raw. Then Kaunching. Aromatnaya is probably next, but I have a lot of good food. I probably wouldn't eat it voluntarily.
The late Lon Rombough described Smyrna as keeping well, but then again, he was selling it. I think drying and freezing are ways to store quince. I don't believe there are varieties that taste good and store well. Prove me wrong. I freeze Crimea and eat it throughout the year.
John S
PDX OR
A couple of years ago, at a fruit collecting for the event just past, the Quince 'curator' at the repository (Jane?) recommended, and we sampled to agreement, Krymskaya and Kauching as being quite palatable- sliced paper thin. I would rate George B's '15 selection of Kuganskaya between those two. We didn't have examples of Krymskaya at the show this year, but scion wood should be available at the propagation fair in spring. The Kauching would be the sweeter of these selections, but not as deep a flavor profile as the Krymskaya.
I don't have any direct knowledge of keeping qualities of any quince but surmise from my back porch experiment, that keeping more than a couple of months leads to a severe deterioration of at least the pectin/setting attributes. A call to the USDA Germ Plasm Repository in Corvallis would presumably net a wider view of potential storage expectations.
Bereczki (Portugal?), Serbia had been recommended to me as not being bothered by some of the common maladies (rust?)
Krymskaya is the Russian name for both Crimea and Kuganskaya. They are quite similar. Crimea is One Green World's trade name. In my garden so far, Kuganskaya ripens a bit later than Crimea and has less rust so far. Most have rust. Pineapple, which isn't good raw, seems to be the most disease free I've seen here in PNW. I am going to experiment with biochar in the soil for quince because it is said to prefer a more alkaline balance than we have naturally in our soils.
JOhn S
PDX OR