mystery fruit

Now I'm all confused.

Every year I wax poetical about my Japanese Quince bush, its lovely blossoms, the way it sprouts up everywhere and charms me.

This year it began to bear fruit. Oh, it had given off a few stunted things for a couple of years, but this was the first for it to give off an apronful. The kids and I picked them this afternoon, and I consulted the internet for recipes. I had a friends' recipe for jam, but...no. Something else. Something...sweet.

I gathered the quinces, chopped them and took many of the hard little cores out. Then poured in some water and boiled them until they were soft. They smelt like apples and pears and cinnamon, slightly exotic and heady.

And was surprised when the bubbly mess didn't go golden. Or blush. Or turn red.

Like quinces are supposed to.

Hmmm.

Rubbed through a sieve, I added sugar and set it back on the heat to bubble and blend.

And an hour later, was still waiting.

Needless to say, I now have a cookie sheet full of something that is neither applesauce nor candy, but something slow and syrupy. Gorgeous sludge, still smelling like candied apples dusted with spices.

But it never blushed. So what on earth grew on that tree??