flipQuince Jam from the Orchard
Quince Jam from the Orchard
Why this dish? At the Aubazine Abbey where Gabrielle was raised, the nuns cultivated and preserved orchard fruits to last the winter. Quince jam — a harsh fruit transformed by sugar and time — evokes this monastic economy, austere and patient, which marked Chanel's childhood.
An amber, fragrant jam obtained by slowly cooking quince with its weight in sugar. The fruit, inedible raw, becomes a translucent paste with rosy highlights, to be spread all winter long.
The quince cannot be bitten into: you must tame it, slowly, with sugar and patience. The nuns filled jars with it, lined up for winter — nothing was wasted. It was ugly, those bumpy fruits, and yet it gave this amber-colored jelly, almost pink. That's a lesson I never forgot: what seems rough can become the most refined, provided you take the time.
- •Ripe quinces — several (fruit)
- •Sugar — equal weight to fruit (preservation and binder)
- •Water — as needed (cooking)
- •Lemon zest — a little (acidity, fragrance)
Quince Jam from the Orchard
An amber, fragrant jam obtained by slowly cooking quince with its weight in sugar. The fruit, inedible raw, becomes a translucent paste with rosy highlights, to be spread all winter long.
Why this dish? At the Aubazine Abbey where Gabrielle was raised, the nuns cultivated and preserved orchard fruits to last the winter. Quince jam — a harsh fruit transformed by sugar and time — evokes this monastic economy, austere and patient, which marked Chanel's childhood.
The quince cannot be bitten into: you must tame it, slowly, with sugar and patience. The nuns filled jars with it, lined up for winter — nothing was wasted. It was ugly, those bumpy fruits, and yet it gave this amber-colored jelly, almost pink. That's a lesson I never forgot: what seems rough can become the most refined, provided you take the time.
Ingredients (period version)
- Ripe quinces — several (fruit)
- Sugar — equal weight to fruit (preservation and binder)
- Water — as needed (cooking)
- Lemon zest — a little (acidity, fragrance)
Ingredients
- Quinces — 1 kg (peeled weight) (fruit)
- Sugar — 800 g (preservation)
- Lemon juice — 1 lemon (acidity, setting)
- Water — 250 ml (initial cooking)
Method
- Peel and core the quinces, cut into dice (save seeds and peels in a muslin bag: they are rich in pectin).
- Cook the dice in water with the muslin bag for 20 minutes, until tender.
- Remove the bag, add sugar and lemon juice, then cook over medium heat for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring.
- The jam is ready when a drop sets on a cold plate; the color turns to rosy amber.
- Pour boiling into sterilized jars, seal, and turn upside down until cool.
How it was made : The quince, too hard and astringent to be eaten raw, was one of the quintessential storage fruits. Its natural pectin content made it the base of medieval jellies and "cotignac," and convents produced it to last the winter and offer to visitors.
The contemporary twist : Present the jar with a handwritten black-on-white label and a simple ribbon: the discreet luxury of homemade.
Coco Chanel · Charactorium
