Hello and welcome. My garden journal is published on Friday or Saturday and you can read my latest post by scrolling down. The Wednesday Hotchpotch is an eclectic blend of articles about the southwest of England, features of artists and artisans, experiments in frugal living, random photographs and anything else that catches my eye. I hope you enjoy it!
The medlar tree has quite a harvest on it this year. These unusual fruit are still happily just about hanging on the tree but can be harvested and stored in a dry cool space, traditionally on straw.
A dear friend commented last week of how her Macedonian garden helper was brought up on these fruit. In order to eat them they need to be bletted which is a rather lovely name for when the fruit turns from ripe to a fermented decay by which time the inside becomes soft and can be spooned out. This pulp is then used to make jam, jelly or cheese.
‘Bletting’ is a rather gorgeous word. I looked it up in my Concise Oxford Dictionary expecting to find it somewhere between bletherskate and blewits but to no avail. Wicko came to my rescue telling me the word has French origins. There is indeed a town in central France called Blet, an endearing name for a town if ever there was one.
Apparently the bletting process turns the acids and tannins into a more palatable sugar. I asked my wife if my slow descent into organic decay and fermentation was making me less acerbic and more sweet-natured but she assures me this is not the case.
The medlar have bletted naturally on the tree and turned from rock hard to squidgy inside. The skin can be easily peeled off to reveal a rather pleasant looking caramel coloured flesh and then a darker core inside. The outer flesh tastes…quite alright really..sort of caramel with a touch of cinnamon perhaps.
I found a recipe for medlar jelly and cheese on www.gardenorganic.org.uk which I would recommend. I must give it a go one day. If any of my readers would like to try out making medlar jelly then please do so and let me know how you get on!
v nice blog hazeltrees – shall follow – ‘ticularly like tip re tub of oily sand for tools – excellent plan – from @TheFlowerFarmer
hello Georgie…good to hear from you….
I do mean to taste my medlar every year ….. but then I just think the black birds will probably enjoy them more than me.
Perhaps I should see if they have left me one to taste
🙂
K
hello Karen, do try them and let me know what you think…so far the birds have left them alone but they are starting to fall on the ground and Marian tells me the foxes are keen on them…
Bletting, isn’t the proccess used with cider apples?
Hi Philip, yes i looked it up and the term bletting is used in the cider process, since it is a French, and hence Latin, word in origen and cider is made in normandie and brittany etc i guess the term must have crossed the channel…
Dear Michael, How interesting this all is about Medlars. I have never grown a Medlar tree but have always been intrigued by these curious fruits in other people’s gardens. Medlar jelly sounds rather fun, what is it supposed to accompany?
Dear Edith, they are a most curious fruit. For further info I can recommend Marian of blotanical fame, she makes the jelly and would give you further advice…
I know of no medlars in this locality which is a pity as I would love to try some of that jelly. My neighbour just makes me elderberry jelly and crabapple jelly. I must ask her if she has ever used medlars.
Hi Rosie, sad that no medlars grow in your area as it must be quite a hardy tree and interesting in a funny sort of way…do let me know if your neighbour makes the jelly and whether you like it or not…
Hello from Brittany!
I tried my first bletted medlar yesterday. Thought it tasted of bruised apple, but not in an unpleasant way. Bit of tamarind in there too, maybe?
I read somewhere that ‘blet’ is the old word for bless – although, annoyingly, I can’t recall why it might apply in this instance!
It’s a bit of a comedy fruit here because of its resemblance to a dog’s back end. French sense of humour, eh?
Hello John, ah yes, the French sense of humour, my wife is French so i know all about that from her family..the question remains…would you eat another?
Des nèfles! ; )
thank you John, we were trying to remember the name of medlars. we are spending christmas in arcachon at the parents-in-law this year….fine dining assured!
I hope you’ll blog & photograph the experience: Aquitaine in winter, a rich resource indeed!
I certainly intend to…inbetween feasting….thanks John
But what are bletherskates and blewits? Relations of Bottersnikes and Gumbels no doubt? I know they are partial to baked bean cans but I bet they would also pinch your medlars when you’re not looking. I have another load of medlars outside the back door awaiting a delivery of sugar – now both bletted and frozed. Assuming no harm done I will try your recipe this time.
ps Did you mention that it is also known as the Chequers tree – hence all those pubs called the Chequers with pictures of trees when one expects Chess boards..
Hi, i seem to be learning more and more about medlars as the days go by and will have to another post reprise! i did not know about the Chequers at all. A bletherskate or blatherskite is someone who blathers which sums me up!