Quince paste is a very thick jam made from the Quince fruit. The jam is so thick it can be sliced with a knife rather that spread. Quince paste is an excellent pairing for many different salty cheeses.

Quince paste is a jam made from the fruit of quince tree, a small, bumpy yellow fruit that resembles a pear in appearance. The jam made from this fruit is a brilliant red-orange color. It has a sweet flavor with lots of lovely floral notes. The texture of this paste is interesting, and is more solid then you would expect a jam to be. Quince paste can actually be cut into thin slices or spread.

For creating a lovely passed appetizer, stack thin slices of quince jam onto small toast points or crackers and top with a semi firm saltier then sweet cheese. The combos of flavors and textures create a whole mouth experience that your guests will love. Quince paste is also a great addition to a stationery cheese platter.

Quince jam’s thick texture and sweet flavor make it perfect for using with baked goods. Thumb print cookies are a favorite use for quince paste; just don’t use a cookie recipe that requires much longer then twenty minutes in the oven, for fear of burning your fruity topping.