As the store crescendos into our last colorful week-end with Jordon Tirrell-Wysocki’s Celtic fiddling and a hoorah of celebratory local foods, we invite you in to show off local. The leaf peeper tourists are coming and they love our town so they will love you too. See more about the week-end at the bottom of this post.
Autumn fruit.
The quince. Such an old fashioned fruit. We don’t see them for sale any longer with their pear-shaped hard-to-cut-into flesh and astringent sweetness. They make good jam that jells up well though–because of that tartness–and the seeds, when cooked, make a squiggly clear salve that heals the skin like aloe. The Shakers here in Canterbury grew and used the quince for those applications. I borrowed their technique for that healing gel and it is incorporated into our 3 in 1 face and body lotion.
Made available to us is the most beautiful quince syrup from a farmer in Italy* who cold presses the fruit to produce an earthy tart-sweet drizzle–like molasses– to be used to flavor your drinks, and food. Sue and I fell in love with this so ordered just one case thinking you might also like this little luxury item in preparation for the holiday season. We are sampling it this week-end. 100% quince, no sugar.
Dave and I have a history with the quince.
When Walter Goodwin’s land across the road from us became ours, one “Charlie Brown” quince tree remained there, gnarled and split probably from a lightening strike. Dave loved that tree back to an assemblance of fruitiness with it’s wee branches and short stature pruned so carefully and fed grown-up food.
After a few years it finally blossomed and in that first year of health, 2 quinces were born! Confetti, ticker-tape, brass band! But, sadly, a good meaning neighbor with a very BIG Back Hoe reversed over the very SMALL and not very visible quince tree leaving not even a whisper of a taste for us. Weeping.
In retirement, we said, we will plant another one…but we did a store instead. There is always Someday.
And then there are pawpaws.
Native to North American, this unique and flavorful fruit seems to be a flavor mix-up between a mango and a persimmon. Filled with large, slick seeds they are a wonderful and very tactile eating experience. Sweet and custard like, they are simply incredible. They are ripe now and growing in Laurie Lockwood’s garden so she brings them into us for you. Come and get them while they are here.
Ideas for using these autumn fruits.
Pawpaws…
- simply eat them
- scoop out the flesh and blend with yogurt for a dessert with perhaps a drizzle of honey or quince syrup and a few nuts
- use very ripe pawpaw flesh to make a steamed pudding
- use very ripe pawpaw flesh to make a baked bread pudding scooping in the fruit with the bread.
- make a decadent smoothie
Quince syrup
- add 1 tsp to your favorite cocktail recipe instead of bitters
- drizzle over yogurt or ice cream for a tart/sweet topping
- drizzle over cooked vegetables like the following recipe…
Butternut squash with a quince crumble
This is really good. The tart fruitiness of the syrup compliments the natural sweetness of the squash to make an autumn flavor profile without all the sugar or spice.
Cut your squash in half. scoop out the seeds and place into a greased baking pan upside down. Pierce the squash all over with a knife to allow steam to escape and the for the squash to cook evenly.
Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for one hour or until the squash squishes when you press on it with gloved hands. Thick baking pans take longer. Smaller squash take less. Do the squish test.
Meanwhile make a crumble topping. It will set up while the squash is baking.
Mix together and squish into clumps:
- 1 cup almond flour, finely ground
- 2T melted butter
Once the squash is cooked, cut into slices and place in baking dishes or back in the pan. Salt and pepper each slice then sprinkle the squash with the crumble. Put back in the oven and raise the temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 15 minutes until crumble is brown.
Remove from oven and drizzle with quince syrup, about 1 tsp per serving. Serve immediately. Wow.
THIS WEEK-END:
Saturday October 11, 12 noon to 2pm…
A Celtic Fiddling celebration with Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki!
Celebrate peak Fall foliage this week-end with one of Canterbury’s own! Returning to our Feed Loft, like last year, the store will reverberate with Jordan’s stirring original and toe-tapping music.
Festive eats…
Home made chowder all week-end, Whoopie pies, local apple crumble, focaccia pizza bread, samples of quince syrup & special cheeses and too much more to mention. You will HAVE to stop by!
See you this week-end,
Jane and Dave
*It is our desire to carry as much local farm products as possible. If you are a farmer or know of a farmer with something special we can carry, please let us know.
Canterbury Country Store 