Bletting Medlars (forum)

epiphany starts with ...
Can someone with more experience with medlars than I have answer a questions for me, please.

This year is the first year of fruit on my medlar tree. So far, I haven't picked any except for one that I accidentally knocked off the tree a week or two ago & is now bletting in a box in my living room.

I went to check the tree again today - the leaves have turned orange in the last few days & the fruit is finally changing colour (I hadn't picked any as they weren't a real russet colour as suggested by Louis Glowinski in his book). However I've noticed a couple have very quickly gone dark brown & soft on one side...

So...is it ok to let them blet on the tree or should I pick them & let them finish inside?

Time: 25th May 2011 10:41am

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About the Author epiphany2
Melbourne
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Rowan says...
I have had medlars before and I would suggest that you pick them and blet them inside. It is ok to let them blet on the tree but it is harder to remember to go and pick them - I have always done it inside.
Don't worry about the colour, as soon as the leaves turn and start to drop it is ok to pick them. keep an eye on them, as you have noticed it can happen quickly.
If you want to extend the ripening it might work to put some in the fridge but I don't really know about this as I have always eaten them straight away.

Time: 25th May 2011 11:04am

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About the Author Rowan
Casterton Vic
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snottiegobble says...
Nice tree with lovely flowers, but to my mind desperate starvation is the only time I would again try to eat the fruit, bletted ( rotted) or otherwise. Maybe I did something wrong?

Time: 25th May 2011 1:07pm

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About the Author snottiegobble
Bunbury/Busso (smackin the middle)
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Rowan says...
You are right SG, pleasant enough if you can discount the seeds but nothing special in my mind, there is not enough edible part %. I liked the taste with custard but I never felt it worth growing again when I moved house.

Time: 25th May 2011 4:59pm

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About the Author Rowan
Casterton Vic
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epiphany says...
Hmmm...I went and picked the soft fruit off the tree last night. One was a bit "oozy" (a sort of syrup coming from the cyclax end). So I decided to eat that one today. And I have to say - it was surprisingly pleasant. Sort of a rich, sweet crab-apple taste...but more complex & with more depth. A bit messy to eat, though. But quite a bit of flesh on them (the seeds weren't overly big?). I quite liked it.

Time: 26th May 2011 5:23pm

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About the Author epiphany2
Melbourne
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EVA says...

To whom it may concern
I wish order Medlar - Dutch
$135.00 Delete
Sub Total $135.00
WA cost for Spraying, Packing and Quarantine $65.50 Learn More
Freight $55.28 (0.45)
Total $255.78
PLEASE CAN BE CHEAPER FOR SPRAYING AND PACKING AS FREIGHT AND QUARANTINE, IF I ORDER 5 QTY.
REGARDS

EVA

Time: 10th July 2011 1:52pm

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epiphany says...
Eva - I think you'd have to order via the online ordering on the left hand side rather than placing a comment in the forum. Check out "shop" (on the left hand side) for more details.

Time: 10th July 2011 4:48pm

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About the Author epiphany2
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Buddy says...
Some people get it soo wrong

Time: 11th July 2011 2:44pm

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Linton says...
Medlars in season now!

Medlars are in the fruit shops now so have got some but have yet to try them. Most reports don't rate them very highly so I would like to know for sure if they are worth growing or not.

Nottingham is probably the best variety that is available in Australia but would be interested to know if anyone has managed to source the superior types from overseas.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 16th May 2015 5:04pm

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About the Author Linton
Springvale, Vic
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allybanana says...
I have dutch medlar its bigger then Nottingham and tastes pretty simlar I think. I cut down a large hawthorn and grafted the medlar onto the stump for an experiment, it worked. I have been trying for years to source royal medlar, which has fruit as big as apples.

I am eating medlar now they are nice but are a poor second to my persimmon and cherimoya which are also rippening. They are one of those fruits like squishy perssimon that was very popular before dentistry and people had to gum their food.

Time: 20th May 2015 3:24pm

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Original Post was last edited: 20th May 2015 3:25pm

About the Author allybanana
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Linton says...
I found that the Medlars have a unique flavour when fully ripened, somewhat like a tangy date, but much more intense than I expected.

I wouldn't compare them anything like Persimmon, which are pleasant and refreshing to eat, but seem to lack a complex flavour.

I asked my Dutch friend who grew up with Medlars how to savour them. He said they're best eaten with ice cream. I can believe that as the cool ice cream would balance the strong flavour of the Medlars.

Time: 20th May 2015 8:17pm

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About the Author Linton
Springvale, Vic
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Linton says...
Attention Allybanana:

Royal Medlar is the holy grail of all Medlars. It is said that the fruit can be eaten fresh off the tree, they don't need to bletted.

However I don't think it is in Australia. You would need to import scions from Europe and graft them here but it would be an arduous and expensive exercise to follow the quarantine procedure to do this.

I too wish it could become available locally.


Time: 21st May 2015 8:00pm

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About the Author Linton
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allybanana says...
Eating unbletted medlar Linton fact or ficton, here is another one, I found this image when I searched for royal medlar is it fact or ficton.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 22nd May 2015 10:32pm

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About the Author allybanana
EDEN, NSW
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Serena L says...
Hi,
I have had a medlar tree for about 8 years. It is a beautiful tree with large leaves and wonderful white flowers. It fruits prolifically and the fruit can reach 6cm across.

However..... I cannot seem to get the medlars to blet. I have tried leaving them on the tree, putting them in the fridge and putting them in a cardboard box with newspaper.

My medlars all seem to go a dark brown colour and become woody rather than the soft bletting that is supposed to happen.

I have just harvested a couple of kg of medlars, after the leaves started to turn orange - as suggested by the literature.

Any suggestions? I would really love to make some jelly or other dishes from the bletted fruit.

Thanks,
Serena

Time: 29th March 2016 6:22pm

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About the Author Serena L
Narre Warren North
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