North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[hector black <hblack@TWLakes.Net>]

I agree with Lon.  Some were sent to me from Burbank's farm in CA.  There's
a huge tree at the Seattle Botanical Gardens with the pear shaped fruits.
They taste somewhat like apple butter when "bletted".  I understand that
they are used to give special flavor to apple cider.   Seems to me I read
somewhere that they were used much more widely for food in ancient times.
But then again, so were medlars.    Hector Black  zone 6 middle TN

----- Original Message -----
From: Lon J Rombough <lonrom@hevanet.com>
To: <nafex@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2002 9:28 AM
Subject: Re: [nafex] Mystery Fruit


That's an old description of the edible Sorb, Sorbus domestica.  The best
way to eat them is to "blet" them like medlars.  Many, if not most, are
extremely astringent when unbletted.  I have some and the first time I
tasted one, it seemed like a mild, crunchy, juicy pear, until the
astringency hit.  The darn things make green persimmons taste MELLOW by
comparison.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, more, plus word on my grape book at
http://www.bunchgrapes.com

----------
>From: "Doreen Howard" <doreenh@ticon.net>
>To: <nafex@yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: [nafex] Mystery Fruit
>Date: Fri, Feb 22, 2002, 8:45 AM
>

>I have an old, old book, given to me by Sam & Ginger Powers, copyright
1854.
>"Fruit, Flower and Kitchen Garden' was written by Patrick Neill and
>published by Adam and Charles Black in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Neill was the
>secretary to the Caledonian Horticultural Society.   In this fascinating
>book, he talks about kitchen garden fruits, including the usual peach,
plum,
>pear and apple.  He also talks about quince, medlar, mulberry and something
>called "The Service-Tree."  The following is how it is described:
>
>"The Service-Tree (Pyrus domestica) is a native of the mountainous parts of
>Cornwall, and though not much cultivated, may be here noticed......fruit
has
>a peculiar acid flavour and is only used when thoroughly mellowed by
>keeping.  There is a pear-shaped and an apple-shaped variety, both of which
>may be propagated by layers, and still better by grafting on seedling
plants
>of their own kind.....The tree is seldom productive till it has arrived at
a
>goodly age.  The fruit is brought to Covent Garden Market in winter...Near
>Paris, the tree is a good deal cultivated under the name of 'cornier'.  A
>number of varieties of the Service are grown in the north of Italy."
>
>Does anyone have a clue as to what this fruit is?
>Doreen Howard
>Zone 4b--Wisconsin
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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