Quince Electuary with Honey and Ginger
A thick paste of quinces cooked with honey, perfumed with ginger and cinnamon—both an end-of-meal sweet and a reputed digestive remedy, stored in pots for winter.
A thick paste of quinces cooked with honey, perfumed with ginger and cinnamon—both an end-of-meal sweet and a reputed digestive remedy, stored in pots for winter.
They attribute vials and powders to me, and whisper that I know herbs too well—let them whisper! Here is my greatest secret: quince slowly cooked in honey, with ginger and cinnamon, until it becomes a thick paste. I keep a pot in my chest and give a spoonful to anyone with a heavy stomach. If that is sorcery, then all good ladies are witches.
- •Quinces — several (base fruit)
- •Honey — equal parts to quince (sweetener and preservative)
- •Ginger — a pinch (digestive spice)
- •Cinnamon — a pinch (spice)
Quince Electuary with Honey and Ginger
A thick paste of quinces cooked with honey, perfumed with ginger and cinnamon—both an end-of-meal sweet and a reputed digestive remedy, stored in pots for winter.
Why this dish? Alice Kyteler was accused of handling potions, herbs, and vials—the line was blurry at the time between a lady preparing her remedies and a 'witch'. The quince electuary, a medicinal preserve reputed to aid digestion, illustrates the herbal and preserving knowledge attributed to her, without anything occult.
They attribute vials and powders to me, and whisper that I know herbs too well—let them whisper! Here is my greatest secret: quince slowly cooked in honey, with ginger and cinnamon, until it becomes a thick paste. I keep a pot in my chest and give a spoonful to anyone with a heavy stomach. If that is sorcery, then all good ladies are witches.
Ingredients (period version)
- Quinces — several (base fruit)
- Honey — equal parts to quince (sweetener and preservative)
- Ginger — a pinch (digestive spice)
- Cinnamon — a pinch (spice)
Ingredients
- Quinces — 1 kg (fruit)
- Honey — 400 g (sweetener and preservative)
- Ground ginger — 1 tsp (spice)
- Ground cinnamon — 1/2 tsp (spice)
- Water — 20 cl (cooking liquid)
Method
- Peel, core, and chop quinces into pieces.
- Cook covered with water until soft enough to mash (~30 min), then purée.
- Add honey and spices, cook over low heat, stirring often.
- Continue until the paste thickens and pulls away from the pan (~40 min).
- Pour into a sterilized jar, let set, then store in a cool place.
How it was made : Electuaries—sweet honey preparations mixed with 'hot' spices—belonged to medieval humoral medicine: quince with honey was eaten to 'warm' and 'bind' the stomach. The boundary between cooking, preserving, and domestic remedy was porous, and this feminine knowledge of herbs fueled witchcraft accusations of the time.
The contemporary twist : Serve as a quince paste to slice with aged cheese, or as a small spoonful on porridge—a nod to the remedy turned treat.
Alice Kyteler · Charactorium
