Following the winter months when we have enjoyed eating apples, pear and citrus fruits, the first fruit variety announcing the arrival of spring starts to appear on vegetable stalls: medlars.
The ones we are used to consuming are fruit of the Japanese medlar tree, an evergreen whose flowers give off an intense scent. They are considered to be a valuable product, every part of which can be used to create authentic gourmet treats.
Medlars, in fact, have a fragrant and juicy flesh and a pleasingly well-balanced taste that is sweet and acidulous at the same time. These characteristics make it an ideal fruit for eating fresh but it can also be used to prepare preserves and sorbets.
Moreover, it can be made into fresh sauces to accompany the delicate taste of shellfish or poultry.
Neither do the large medlar stones necessarily get thrown away. In fact, they are used to make Nespolino: an excellent liqueur for serving cool or adding to sweetened cream desserts to which it confers a delicate aroma similar to that of almonds.