SC - Public Consumption [Was Distress in Trimaris]

[Bronwynmgn@aol.com]

>Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 09:07:25 -0800
>From: Catherine Keegan <keegan at mcn.org>
>Subject: Re: SC - Period plant sources
>
>My Raintree Medlar arrived about three weeks ago.   It's a very robust tree 
>with a good looking set of roots.  Poor thing has to wait  until the rain 
>quits drowning us to get its real planting.  I wasn't too keen on the 
>prices, either, but the plant looks great (and the currents we ordered are 
>a lot nicer than I had anticipated).
>

WOW!  Thank you for posting this publicly!  You are the first person I have
met who has actually ORDERED anything from Raintree, and I am glad to read
your review.

>Another catalog (Millers?) has two varieties of medlar listed.  Are both 
>'period'?
>
>I've been doing a lot of reading on medieval plants lately (Harvey has the 
>best information so far) and, except for saying that you can mix the medlar 
>pulp with honey, I haven't seen any mention of what to do with the blatted 
>fruits.  All of my medieval cookbooks are in storage but I don't remember 
>ever seeing medlars mentioned in any of them but I probably wasn't looking 
>for them, either.  Are there any recipes for medlars?  Not that I have 
>anything to worry about for at least two to three years....  But, then I'll 
>probably be desperate for recipes for quinces and medlars.
>
   At one time, Raintree Nursery had (rather expensive!) jars of Medlar
Butter (like apple butter) available for sampling.  So you would know what
the flavor of this exotic fruit you were buying would taste like, perhaps
before you bought it?  The Oregon Exotics catalog describes the flavor of
the fruit like a spicy apple, pear and cinnamon.  Doesn't sound too terrible?

>I'd be quite interested in seeds.  I'd like to try the Cornus mas, medlar, 
>and Taxus although I had thought the yew to be fairly large.  I thought 
>privet or box was used for herb garden edging.
>
>So much to learn...
>
>Keegan

Oregon Exotics Nursery has FIVE varieties of Medlar: Westerfield,
Nottingham, Russian Giant, Breda Giant, and Royal.  
www.exoticfruit.com

I have not ordered a Medlar from any company yet, but was kind of leaning
toward ordering from Oregon Exotics.  Theirs are less expensive and they
list specific varieties.  I don't know about quality comparison between
them though..

I still really want one of these trees for my front yard... sigh... The
flowers are supposed to look like that of an old fashioned rose.
- -Laurene