Alright, let’s talk about this quince pie thing, ya know? I ain’t no fancy cook or nothin’, but I can tell ya a thing or two about makin’ a good pie. My old ma used to make ’em, and her ma before her. It’s in the blood, I guess.
So, first off, what the heck is a quince anyway? Quince. Sounds fancy, right? Well, it ain’t. It’s just a fruit, looks kinda like a bumpy pear or somethin’. Hard as a rock, too, can’t eat it raw, not like an apple. But you cook it down, and oh boy, it gets all sweet and tasty. Makes a darn good pie, that’s for sure. And that is what we talking about today, the quince pie.
Now, makin’ a pie crust. That’s where most folks get tripped up. Me? I keep it simple. Flour, lard, bit of salt, some cold water. That’s it. No need for all that fancy butter and whatnot. Lard makes it flaky, ya see? Flaky and good. You gotta use your hands, though. Mix it all up, get your hands dirty. That’s the only way to know if it feels right. Should be kinda crumbly, but not too dry.
- Flour
- Lard
- Salt
- Cold water
Then you roll it out. Not too thin, not too thick. Just right. Like Goldilocks and her porridge, you know? You gotta put it in your pie plate, make it all pretty-like around the edges. Ain’t gotta be perfect, though. Just gotta hold the filling, that’s all.
Okay, so the quince part. That takes a bit of time, but it ain’t hard. You gotta peel ’em, core ’em, and chop ’em up. Like I said, they hard as rocks, so be careful you don’t cut yourself. Then you put ’em in a pot with some water and sugar. Sometimes I throw in a cinnamon stick, maybe a little bit of lemon peel. Just for some extra flavor, you know? Then you let it simmer. Low and slow. That’s the key. You gotta let them quince cook down until they soft and pink. And the liquid turn thick like jam. That’s how you know it’s ready for the pie.
Once the quince is cooked, you pour it into your pie crust. Spread it out nice and even. Then you put the top crust on. You can make it fancy, if you want. Cut out little shapes, do a lattice top. Me? I usually just slap another crust on top and poke some holes with a fork. Works just as good, and it’s a whole lot faster.
Then you bake it. In the oven. ‘Til it’s golden brown and bubbly. That’s when you know it’s done. The smell, oh the smell! Fills the whole house. Makes your mouth water just thinkin’ about it. And when you take it out of the oven, let it cool for a bit. Don’t wanna burn your tongue, now. This is important for making a quince pie.
Quince pie ain’t like apple pie, or cherry pie, or nothin’ like that. It’s got its own flavor, its own kinda sweetness. It’s kinda tart, kinda sweet, kinda…I dunno…earthy? Hard to explain, but it’s good. Real good. Especially with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Or a glass of cold milk. Either way, it’s a treat.
Now, some folks like to add other things to their quince pie. Nuts, raisins, cranberries. Me? I like it plain. Just quince and pie crust. That’s all you need. Keep it simple, that’s my motto. Don’t need none of those fancy fixins.
So, that’s it. That’s how you make a quince pie. It ain’t rocket science, ya know? Just takes a little bit of time, a little bit of patience, and a whole lotta love. And that’s the secret ingredient to any good pie, if you ask me. Love. That, and knowing how to make a darn good crust. And cook the quince right. You got to cook the quince right or you will ruin the whole pie. Now get out there and try it yourself! You might just surprise yourself with what you can do. And even if it ain’t perfect, who cares? It’ll still taste good, I guarantee it.