Quince It is believed that the quince long preceded the apple, and that many ancient references to apples were in fact, references to quince, including the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Greek mythology associates the quince with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and many believe that the golden apple given to her by Paris was a quince. Ancient Greeks associated the quince with fertility, and it played an important role in wedding celebrations where it was offered as a gift, used to sweeten the bride's breath before entering the bridal chamber, and shared by bride and groom. These associations have resulted in the quince becoming known as the "fruit of love, marriage, and fertility." Quince, one of the earliest known fruits, is a relative of the pear and apple. It cannot be eaten raw.  It must be cooked. The flesh will turn from golden, then light pink, then red and sweet when cooked. Quince can be made into jam or jelly, or can be baked or poached as a dessert. The poaching liquid has many uses as well like the base for Ice Cream. I love a recipe that will eventually make separate dishes, this one will make the base for ice cream  and the poached quince will become a crumble later on. Quince Ice Cream: Step One 3 Medium quince, peeled,cored and quartered 3 cups of water 1/2 cup of light honey 1 cinnamon stick alf a star anise Method: Place the quince,water, honey, and the spices