The rains have come, bringing autumn with them. I expect we’re all affected, from Cadiz to Alicante and we are all hunkering down indoors to keep warm and dry. The winter clothes have come out, including hiking boots and body-warmers, and the summer t-shirts gone away until next year. In our house the kitchen is becoming a small preserving factory for anything still growing or recently picked. The latest efforts are quince paste (membrillo), quince jelly and marrons glaces (French crystallised chestnuts). Recipe for quince paste is below, as this a traditional Spanish/Moroccan delicacy and fantastic with hard cheese such as manchego and good bread; or in small pieces as a sweetie for children (especially on Halloween night…).
The village is getting very tranquil now. Many people have gone back to Granada or Madrid, the hill walkers are thinning out and we are all preoccupied with chopping wood or making draught-excluding door snakes. A concerted effort will have to be made to go to the bar from time to time to keep up with local events! It’s a good time to get the winter lettuces and cauliflower plugs into the ground, along with beans for the Spring, so if the village is quiet then that‘s where everyone must be!
We decided that we needed to make our Spanish Wills recently, and although we looked at the alternatives of a limited company, we don’t think our assets are such that it is worth doing. On the other hand, we want to be sure that our limited possessions go where we want! I really do recommend anyone with any dependents to do a Will. It’s a long drawn-out and expensive process for your children/partner/spouse if you die ’intestate’. We contacted AlpujarraConect in Orgiva and got a first class service from Inma. She speaks excellent English which helps in this situation, although we wrote out what we wanted ourselves, before we met her. It took several hours to get it all done, including seeing the notario, but at least we have peace of mind…just need to update our English ones now as well.
Here’s the membrillo recipe:
Take 2kg of ripe quinces and chop into roughly 1.5 inch cubes. Put into a large pan and cover with enough cold water so the pieces start to float, then bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until the fruit is soft and can be mashed. Strain off the excess water and sieve the fruit, removing most pips and core if you can.
Weigh the puree and measure an equal quantity of sugar (granulated will do). Place puree and sugar in a clean large pan and put on a low heat. Stir constantly to avoid burning (this is really important). Let the mixture bubble slowly until a deep orange-brown or maroon in colour (this takes time). Taste and add lemon juice if it is very sweet. Pour into a dish or tray lined with greaseproof paper, so that the mixture is 2-3 cm deep. Put in a warm, dry place to cool and set.
To serve with bread and cheese, cut triangles of bread, then lay slightly smaller triangles of manchego cheese on top, then smaller triangles or slivers of membrillo. The Spanish leave the rind on the cheese and consume these beauties with a good quality dry sherry.
Un abrazo mis amigos…J