In Switzerland, they call it ‘nefle’; we call it a loquat. A smallish orange apricot-colored fruit in a tree, with dark green palmate leaves.
Saw my first at Kristin Nute’s wedding in Inverness. As we mingled on her parent’s property, I found a tasty, weird fruit, and promised myself I’d ride 50 miles round trip (from Fairfax) to collect. But then I found ’em in Fairfax. They should be used immediately, or they will develop bruises (see second picture–they’re just a day off the tree….the ones in my hand are picked an hour earlier..)
But in between Kristin Nute’s nuptials and the present, I was in Switzerland–Montreux, chez Aline Lux, who made me an incredible meal topped off with “Tarte aux Nefles”…it was this delicate fruit in a delicious pastry shell.
So, a year later, I see the same fruit here in Fairfax and San Anselmo… so I grabbed a few pounds, but was too lazy to fabricate a short pastry crust. I just boiled those babies down.
The next day I brought more home, and PEELED them. What a hassle. There ‘s a lot of work in peeling small, golf-ball and smaller fruits.
I can live with the fiber, and the less-hassle, but I did want to see if there was a difference. Taste-wise, there isn’t. It’s a tangy, delicious flavor that is Strictly Non-Commercial. I love making food that Can’t Be Had (go ahead and write to me telling me of Medlar, or Japanese Medlar/loquat jam available at Costco).
Here are some pix of the steps.
You know the drill.
1. Remove seeds (or Peel, then remove seeds)(which are interesting because there can be one seed, two, or three, or up to five! Fine, brown, ultra-slippery irregularly-shaped, wet seeds you wouldn’t want to trip on, on a smooth floor.
2. Put good bits in pan, add some lemon juice and some sugar (I’m not going to bother you about the amount–it’s up to you) and boil for about five-ten minutes, then pour into a nice glass jar, and eat as fast as you can..i have no idea how to make jam that lasts for a long time.
Salivation Army 