Ruby Syrup

I've spent the day chopping up quinces, in order to add them into a pot of syrup and poach them for a couple of hours until they're done.

I'm completely in love with the way they start off as hard as wood and with white flesh, and end up falling apart when touched and a deep ruby red.

I'm also completely in love with the aroma they produce while they're blushing themselves done.

It's like a fragrant, old-fashioned rose bush fell into a pool of sweet brown sugar. Mmmmmmmm.

And then I spooned them gently into sterilised jars and waited until they were cool before packing them into the cupboards and hoping that if I'm careful they'll last me out the full year.

And the very best part?

I'm about a quarter of the way through the tree. That means I have three-quarters left.

And since I'll soon run out of preserving seals, and preserving jars, and preserving lids, I'll be forced to poach up quinces and watch their beautiful flesh run red and instead of spooning them gently into jars, I'll be spooning them gently into my mouth.

Maybe with a little bit of icecream on the side. Maybe mixed into a nice quince loaf. Maybe just straight from the pot with lashings of syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.