A few of our favourite things...

Becs: I have been the fortunate recipient of lots of home grown quinces this year...aside from making a few jars of quince paste I have roasted most of them to serve with Posh Porridge.  The method I use is based on one from the Dunsandel Store Cookbook and is the easiest I have tried with minimal prep involved - quince are a pain to cut/core when raw.  Wash the quinces well, rubbing off the fuzz on their skin with a cloth. Cut in half or quarter if especially large and fill a large lined roasting tray.  Cover with a cup of sugar, and add an inch of water to the pan.  Cover with foil and bake at 150 C for 3 hours or so until tender.  Once cool it is easy to remove the skins and cores.  Pour the syrup into a saucepan and reduce until desired consistency and sweetness.  These can be preserved in jars or frozen.

A few of our favourite things...

Miriam: My parents have two quince trees. I remember in my teenage years complaining about how ugly quinces were and suggested they remove the trees. Thankfully they ignored my teenage grumblings. Transformed into paste and coupled with blue cheese, the humble quince had its time in the spotlight in the early 2000's. I became a firm fan and have remained so ever since. Mum has perfected the art of making quince paste and keeps me in good supply with wee portions wrapped in baking paper and tied up with string that can either be consumed immediately, kept in the fridge or frozen and used year round. Delicious!



Libby: I already count Wellington's Harbourside Market as one of my favourite things but the herb stall located on the Te Papa side of the market (not to be confused with the herb stall on the Waitangi Park side) deserves its own special mention. It has all sorts of herbs and Asian greens that you can't find all in one place anywhere else in Wellington. On Sunday I picked up generous bunches of mint and coriander, spring onions, lime leaves and chillis, all for $1 a pop. Incredibly cheap and so, so fresh!