In an ongoing conversation I am having with someone online one of the things he mentions is that he wants to buy some vanilla-flavored tequila on his upcoming visit. Not being familiar with flavored tequilas, I stop at COVI, our local specialty liquor store to see what they have available. There is no vanilla-flavored tequila, but there is tequila almendrado which means it has been flavored with almonds and tequila with membrillo.
What the hell is a membrillo anyway?
A stop at Walmart to check on prices for some Microdyn that another online acquaintance is asking for, I pass the newly refreshed fruit and vegetable aisle and what jumps out at me (figuratively, not literally) but a whole bin full of membrillo. So I buy one.
It’s a hard fruit, like an unripe pear and cutting it open is difficult and yields a hard flesh and stony seeds. I have seen dulce de membrillo here and there so I suppose that this is what it is best suited to; cooking the bejeezuz out of it with lots of sugar. It’s flavor is slightly applish but takes so long to chew that I don’t have a second chunk.
If anyone knows the story behind the membrillo, don’t be afraid to share!
Here are some photos of this strange and decidedly exotic fruit:
Membrillo is quince in english, quince jelly you know? I like the ate de membrillo with brie or other cheeses or just crackers. It’s very good, very sweet and thick. The fruit alone, not so good.
QUINCE! Aha! I never knew what a Quince looked like either!!! Welcome back Jonna-cita!
Cajeta de membrillo is my favorite! I could eat it all day! It’s that good. 🙂
You probably risked ridicule (or worse) asking for vanilla tequila. Like being in Glasgow and asking for cherry Scotch.
Leslie – sounds like you love this stuff as much as I love Nutella! Thanks for stopping by!
Lee – Yes, after I asked the question to the manager of the COVI store I found myself surrounded by a Mexican biker gang who demanded to know what the hell kind of dumb-ass request was that. I explained it was for a research project on how Mexicans react to the idea of flavoring in their tequila and they eventually backed off.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince
I forgot to add that there is a liquor, kind of sweet, called Membrillo. It is delicious over ice with lime, very refreshing. I just went to look for the bottle of it that I thought I had, I must have drank it all last summer. They have it at Covi I think and probably at Superama, now I want some and I’ll have to go and search for a source.
I was never gone amigo, just quieter than usual.
Jonna beat me to it, it’s quince. My mom used to buy ate de membrillo at Casa Lucas in San Francisco (California) when we were kids. It and guava paste (ate de guaba) are good with cream cheese.
regards,
Theresa
oops, guayaba…..I left out a syllable…
regards,
Theresa