Pâte de Coings, ou Cotignac

The exquisitely scented quince is an ancient and distinguished fruit, named the apple of Cydonia (still its botanical name) by the Romans after a town on the north coast of Crete; it was once as familiar in southern Europe as the vine. It is striking to see how often the quince appears on the crisply carved sarcophagi found in the ancient burial ground of the Alycamps in Aries and now moved to the Musée d’Art Chrétien there. Fat, shapely quinces tumble with a few figs, many lemons and a pin