Quince vs dried apple
Two Rosaceae fruits, one of which is inedible raw and one of which is the invisible bulk of half the fruit infusions on sale. Quince is a preserve; apple is a filler.
botanical
What is being compared
Point by point
| Aspect | Quince | Dried apple |
|---|---|---|
| Raw | Hard, sour and astringent. Cooking is not optional. | Perfectly edible, which is why the dried version is so cheap. |
| In a drink | Mogwa-cha in Korea is a sugar or honey preserve stirred into hot water. | Dried pieces are the body and sweetness of most European fruit blends. |
| Aroma | Perfumed, between pear, apple and rose. A raw quince scents a whole room. | Mild and sweet, and largely a carrier for whatever flavouring is added. |
| What it does in a blend | It would dominate, which is why it is a preserve rather than a blend component. | Supplies body cheaply. This is why apple is second on so many ingredient lists. |
| Pectin | High enough to set into membrillo, cotignac and marmelada — which gave English marmalade. | Present, but the fruit is not used for setting. |
The short answer
Apple is what is quietly filling out the packet; quince is a deliberate drink with a preparation of its own. Reading an ingredient list for apple near the top is the fastest way to understand a fruit infusion.
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