Quince is one of the most-often-included fruits in old English books, in which recipes are as likely to be for preserving the fruit itself as for tarts and pies.

If you’re lucky enough to have access to fresh quinces, do not miss this perfumed tart, which glistens with rose-colored fruit. This is a favorite recipe of Leon Lianides, owner of the Coach House in New York City, now closed.

Fresh quinces aren’t easy to find, but they do turn up at local farmers’ markets—especiall