Poached quinces with mascarpone

It is a pity that quinces have been forgotten in England; quince trees used to be common, as were quince desserts and preserves, although we did not adopt the Moroccan, Turkish and Iranian ways of using them with meat. They are available from Middle Eastern shops, some greengrocers and supermarkets. They are best picked or bought slightly unripe and left to mature in a warm kitchen until yellow and scented, when they are ready to be cooked.