It is medlar (Mispel in German) season again, so they are appearing in the shops.

I wrote 2 years ago about finding medlars in my local supermarket, and how bizarre I found it that there are no warning signs. Medlars need to be "bletted" (basically, rotted, normally done by burying them in sawdust) before they can be eaten. If you eat them before they are bletted, they are very astringent, and can make you ill.

I once had medlars as a child, and thought they were great. Those were bletted on the bush, rather than in sawdust, so I always thought that there had to be an easier method than using sawdust.

Today, Sheryl returned from a shopping trip with a "new fruit" to try: medlars. I searched on Google, and found this page on The Guardian, which describes bletting the medlars on a plate at room temperature. I have put Sheryl's purchase in a bowl, wrapped in a tea towel (to keep the flies off of them). I am hoping they turn out OK.

If you want to read more about medlars, there is a very extensive article on Country Life. They used to be very popular, but because of the need for bletting, the fact that they can't be transported once edible, and the sad truth that they don't look very appetising, they have fallen out of favour. I do, however, encourage you to try them.