Who knows this fruit? Who has seen it? Has anyone even tasted it? When it comes to Frankfurt delights, the medlar is at the top of my list.
The reactions of friends, colleagues and acquaintances to the question of whether they had already tasted "Mispelchen" and their delight when I explained it to them, showed me that I have so far criminally neglected the topic here on the blog ;-)
So today it's: Ran to the medlar! I will reveal the most important secrets around the medlar and hope for your active support in the comments to share our wealth of experience!
First things first: What is a medlar?
It's the name for a drink made with calvados (apple brandy!) and a medlar (from a can) preserved in alcohol.
Where's the apple? In the brandy! This one comes from France. Probably the Isenburg Huguenots are to blame, who migrated to the region once.
Where does the medlar come from? That's a very good question. My physical therapist is from Spain and knew immediately when I mentioned the fruit. Her children love to eat the pome fruit. In Germany and Hesse the medlar rarely grows. In Japan, however, the fruit is almost cult.
What does it look like? A little like a plum in soft orange. The skin comes off easily. They are juicy and tart and smell a little like roses. No wonder, the medlar belongs to the rose family. So far, so fresh. So southern. The local medlars are very distant relatives of the tender variety.
When is harvest time for the local medlars? In late autumn, as with apples. Like the quince, it likes frost.
Where can I get canned medlars? Meanwhile, in any well-stocked supermarket. Pretty souvenirs are offered by the <link https: shop.kaufhaushessen.de apfel _blank>Kaufhaus Hessen.
How long do I preserve the fruit? At my friend's place the alcohol has been soaking since November. That may be a tad too long. But I asked around: six weeks should be enough time for the medlar.
What else do I do with the medlar if it's not going to be alcohol? Of course, there's nothing that isn't. And so you can guess that medlar can be used for sauces, caramelized, as jam, syrup, or or or. So the recipe for Mispel-Blechkuchen is actually the most searched online.
Whether with or without alcohol - wohl bekommt's! Where in Frankfurt can you order the Mispelchen? In every well-stocked pub and bar - you can find a cool overview in the brand-new <link https: www.frankfurt-tipp.de ffm-aktuell s ugc neuer-frankfurt-tipp-guide-2019-ist-da.html _blank>FRANKFURT TIPP GUIDE 2019.
So and now I hope for your experiences. Where do you guys prefer to drink the medlar? And have you already used it in cooking or brewed your own liqueur?