Ripe medlars

Posted by Shae on December 15, 2004

In Reply to: Ripe medlars posted by David FG on December 15, 2004

: : Can anyone explain to me the meaning of

: : "Time and straw make the medlars ripe"?

: : Why straw? And what are medlars anyway?

: : JC

: Medlars are a fruit which has to partially rot (bletting as I believe it is known) before it is edible. This takes time, and I think that traditionally they were packed in boxes of straw to allow the process to take place.

: DFG

Spot on as always, David. My edition of 'Trees and Shrubs' by F. A. Bush (I kid you not!) has:

Mespilus germanica (Medlar) . . . If the fruit is wanted it should be left on the tree until late October and stored until it appears in the first stages of decay; then it is ready for eating. More often the fruit is used for making jelly.

Since it's a UK publication, I presume 'jelly' equates to the US 'jello.'

Ripe medlars Brian from Shawnee 15/December/04
- Ripe medlars mo 23/December/04
- Ripe medlars Nikhilesh sinha 16/December/04
  - Ripe medlars Brian from Shawnee 16/December/04
    - Ripe medlars Nikhilesh sinha 16/December/04
- Jelly/jello TheFallen 15/December/04
  - Jelly/Jell-O/jam R. Berg 15/December/04
    - Jelly/Jell-O/jam Bob 16/December/04
      - It Must Be Jelly ('Cause Jam Don't Shake Like That), 2:48 (excerpt) Bruce Kahl 17/December/04
      - Marmalade, anyone? Smokey Stover 16/December/04
        
        More marmalade? Henry 16/December/04
        
        Jam and Jelly Roll SR 16/December/04
        
        Jam and Jelly Roll Lewis 16/December/04
        
        It Must be Jelly Brian from Shawnee 16/December/04
        
        It Must be Jelly Jose Carlos 16/December/04
        
        Time SR 16/December/04
        
        Time Brian from Shawnee 16/December/04
        
        Give me that good jelly Lexi 16/December/04
        
        Give me that good jelly Lewis 16/December/04
        
        Jellied nitroglycerin Smokey Stover 16/December/04
        
        Jelly R. Berg 16/December/04
        
        Time is the remedy for everything? Smokey Stover 17/December/04
        
        Medicine comes "fear". Jose Carlos 17/December/04
        
        Time is the remedy for everything? Smokey Stover 17/December/04
        Time is the remedy for everything? Brian from Shawnee 17/December/04
        Bletting Smokey Stover 17/December/04
        
        No one is paying attention. Smokey Stover 19/December/04
        
        No one is paying attention. Jose Carlos 19/December/04
        
        No one is paying attention. Smokey Stover 20/December/04
        
        No one is paying attention. Jose Carlos 20/December/04
        
        Full of surprises. Smokey Stover 21/December/04
        
        Full of surprises. Gary 21/December/04