When I was growing up, there wasn’t a jar of Smucker’s to be found in my parents’ house. Lucky for me, my grandmother and mom made Concord grape jelly every year. I never gave much thought to this yearly ritual. I watched and learned. It was part of life. 
When I moved to Italy, I graduated from making grape jelly to fig, strawberry, plum and gorgeous quince jam. Ripe quince are fragrant and have a golden-yellow skin. They are used mostly for cooking given their hard and somewhat bitter flesh. They contain a high amount of pectin which makes them ideal for jams and jellies alike.
The below recipe makes about 3 cups of jam. Add a vanilla pod, cinnamon or ginger while cooking for a different flavor. Enjoy with toast, cheese or by the spoonful.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds ripe quinces, quartered, cored, and sliced
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- Fresh lemon juice
Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Add quince and lemon juice to the saucepan, stirring often. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fruit is soft, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
When fruit is soft and transparent, bring the mixture to a boil stirring constantly for about 20 minutes uncovered until the mixture thickens.
Pour mixture into jars. Close jars and chill overnight.
