As we approach the winter Solstice and the gradual return towards the light, my musing today is about a remarkable wise old tree: Cydonia oblonga, commonly known as Quince. Her golden orb-like fruits are the last of the seasonal calendar here in Provence and her fragrant generosity will soon be shared in the Provençale tradition of ‘Les Treize Desserts’ in the form of pâtes de coing (Quince paste cut into small sweet astringent slices).
The first mention of ‘Les Treize Desserts’ goes back to the 17th century Provence and is one of the few Christmas traditions that has held its place in Provençale homes, beginning after midnight mass on Christmas Eve.
The composition of this traditional sweet platter representing the 12 apostles plus Christ varies according to what is available locally. In our region, Quince paste has a proud place alongside other offerings including almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, figs, dates, black and white nougat and the traditional ‘pompe à huile’ cake enhanced with olive oil and neroli hydrolat.
Quince or cognassier in French is nowadays a much-overlooked tree, yet she is the keeper of precious health-enhancing and wise treasures for those who choose to take the time to re-discover her. As we will see, the additional messages she conveys concern the topics of Legacy, Heritage and Transmission. But firstly, why do I say we need to re-discover rather than meet this bountiful beauty?
Well, along with the pear, she has been cultivated for more than 4000 years! A member of the Rosaceae family and thought to originate in the Caucasus region, Quince has been revered since antiquity and is cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region. One could say we have known Quince since the dawn of humankind – so to talk about her today is just to bring forward into consciousness what we already have deeply known, loved, honoured and respected through our ancestry.
The fruit of Aphrodite and dedicated to Venus, Quince has a long-held symbolism to wisdom, beauty, persistence, love, happiness and immortality and was part of medieval wedding feasts. She has captivated and inspired man since time immemorial irrespective of creed or culture.
Her hard non-juicy and rather plain-looking fruits are a lesson in themselves – a certain savoir-faire is required. Picking them before they fall to the ground is ideal as any bruising quickly leads to withering, browning or rot. The optimum time for picking is when her downy fruits are gradually turning from green to yellow – here in the mountains, this is usually during November. She will then continue to ripen and release her intoxicating fragrance, as she turns fully yellow.
Once harvested, one then needs both time and patience to be able to extract her jewels that are gradually revealed through cooking and coaxing. Her initial pulp as it cooks down becomes rose-coloured, transforming gradually as far as ruby-red in jelly making as her anthocyanins are progressively released. Recipes for her transformation into jelly, paste or wine abound but they all are based on simple time-honoured ingredients and the simple culinary gestures of our elders, passed down through time with surprisingly little variation across cultures and countries. Rich in pectin, all Quince requires are simple noble ingredients of water and sugar or alcohol for her ‘quintessence’ to be exalted.
This morning, I spent time with my local cognassier. She lives at the edge of one of the hamlets of our village, Le Plan d’Anelle, close to my home. I salute her most days on my hikes with the hounds. As with many Provençale villages, in times gone by, Quince trees were planted in the hedges and edges of villages. Many of them remain and the ones that do are anchored in history.
Quince has always belonged to the people, rather than to a person – she was rarely planted in private gardens. Quince was instead planted to serve the community and a single tree in good year would bear enough fruits for the local population.
The elderly cognassier I visited today is, I believe well over 150 years old and yet she continues to bear fruit. Her trunks and branches are gnarled and twisted and she has a quiet but imposing presence. I like to think she may even have been planted when the neighbouring chapel St Joseph was built in 1620.
She even has a lane named after her: Chemin du Cognassier – yet another nod to her Legacy and place in our local landscape. Yet today, few people give her a second glance – at her feet lie broken buckets and general detritus but she continues regardless, thriving in her crone authenticity.
Today, a single fruit was hanging from the end of a bare branch – her very last offering of the year – a glowing sunny orb against a deep blue sky – a reminder of the imminent return of the sun.
Funnily enough, as a child growing up in Africa, I developed a fascination with Quince years before I had the chance to experience the fruit in person! This was all thanks to the nonsense poem “The Owl and the Pussycat” written by Edward Lear in 1871. How I adored that poem! I recall reciting it out loud at every opportunity and miming eating Quince with a ‘runcible spoon’! Do you know this poem? In a nutshell, it tells the tale about how the Owl and the Pussycat fell in love, eloped by boat, got married on a hill (thanks to the help of a generous pig and a responsible turkey), and then “dined on mince and slices of quince which they ate with a runcible spoon…” before dancing hand in hand in the light of the moon…pure whimsical nonsense that was perfect for my wild child imagination.
It was only upon moving to London aged 18 to begin my nursing training that I finally had my first encounter with this delectable exotic-sounding fruit and the discovery of its intense fragrance that I still to this day use as a natural room fragrancer from November through December – a single whole Quince in a bowl will fill your home or car with a rose -pear-apple fruity aroma for several weeks.
In terms of her medicinal properties, at last we are seeing a revival of interest in Quince as a recent 2024 paper shows. Rich in fibre, tannins, polyphenols, vitamin C, pectin and minerals, Quince fruit is not only an important source of nourishment – she is also health-preserving with important antioxidant, hypoglycaemic and perhaps anti-cancer properties and her astringency and soothing actions provide benefit for a range of digestive issues from GERD to diarrhea whilst supporting your gut microbiome. She is also used for inflamed respiratory membranes. She is kind and non-toxic (don’t consume large quantities of her seeds) and suitable for all ages. No wonder our ancestors blessed this plant!
Sitting with Quince today got me thinking of the importance of Legacy, Heritage, and Transmission – these interconnected concepts that collectively enrich society. Together, they ensure continuity and foster a sense of belonging.
In current times where dissociation, disconnection, displacement and dislocation are seemingly the ‘norm’, taking a moment to consider what connects and unites us across the generations may bring some degree of comfort. It can help us find and hold onto a common thread when feeling adrift and unconnected to the greater scheme of things.
Whilst Legacy refers to the tangible (and intangible) assets passed down from previous generations (knowledge, values, traditions, achievements…), it is Heritage that embodies these assets, preserved through cultural expressions, historical landmarks, and communal practices, serving as a shared identity and pride for a community.
For us, here in our mountain community, practices such as making pâtes de coing and black nougat each December are some examples of honoring and preserving both Legacy and Heritage; basket weaving and firing up the ancient communal bread ovens each year are others that are actively preserved, shared and celebrated, reinforcing our community connections. Another winter tradition is sharing a meal called Les crouis – home-made hand shaped pasta accompanied by a walnut sauce made from crushing walnuts and garlic into a paste using a pestle and mortar and softened with pasta water – a community meal shared early in the New Year.
Without Transmission, our ancient assets would not last – they absolutely need to be shared and adapted across generations. This dynamic cycle of passing down core values and traditions actually sustains cultural diversity, informs progress, and provides a foundation for resilience and collective growth.
Some may ask why bother with the past? Why not step boldly into modern day advances and leave the past behind? Modern day society has seemingly little regard for the past. Yet it is through transmitting our Heritage that we cultivate a shared understanding and inspire innovation rooted in tradition and, above all, I believe that we reinforce social cohesion. So, perhaps, even more than ever, these notions of Legacy, Heritage and Transmission are important to all of us.
So, to close what are the messages of Quince for me today?
- Quince prompted me to consider what I might be leaving in terms of Legacy. What positive personal contributions to the world and to Aromatherapy am I making that will continue to empower future generations of therapists and the evolution of our aromatic profession? How will people remember you? Have you considered your lasting impact? What are you adding to the collective Aromatic pot that people will remember and continue to celebrate?
- Quince also prompted me to consider my Heritage – the very foundations upon which I lean for a sense of connection and continuity. As a Welshie, with Druidism running strongly in the family lineage, deeply connected to respect for the natural world, I have a shared identity with those that came before me. I am also connected with the Heritage of the mountain community in which I have been living for the past 25 year; their traditions, identity and the pride in ancestral customs are important to honour and cherish and I adopt them as my own. And then, of course, what about our Aromatic Heritage? How can we recognise and foster a shared identity and collective pride for our profession? What should we be building, celebrating and perpetuating together?
- Quince also prompted me to think about the importance of Transmission. In our surge forward in the world of evidence-based clinical aromatherapy with increasing technology and research with Google and AI at our fingertips, we might be at risk of forgetting the humble origins of Aromatherapy. It is important that we continue to transmit, honour and consciously deliver the original foundations of our craft: whole-person individually oriented care combined with empathy, touch, time, listening and sensitive attention. It is this time-honoured tradition that keeps us moving forward collectively on the Aromatic path.
Wishing you a blessed Solstice!
