…They are charming, evergreen trees in the garden with juicy fruits whose delicate pear-like flavor certainly deserve our attention.
The golden yellow fruits come into the Greek markets along with strawberries. The fully ripe peeled loquats are eaten fresh but Cretans also serve them along with graviera cheese and ice-cold tsikoudia, the local grape-based spirit.
And they make delicious compote, a light sophisticated dessert on their own. …
Seeds don’t go to waste, either; they are used to make a liqueur. Seeds, pure alchohol, sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon, pink pepper are kept covered in sun, I have been told.
What do seeds taste like? I am wondering….
But I might have to try a few variations on this liqueur myself.
Loquat is also known as the Japanese medlar. Gr. mespilo, despola, nespola, mousmoulo.
ΓΙΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΕΔΩ.
I love mousmoula and know is the season…
When I was child, loquats were a fruit that we pinched over the fence… Now, we buy them but they always are a favorite among Greeks.
Yesterday, I finally made a start in loquat liquor making. I am really curious on how it will taste.
I’ve had loquats before but never associated them with Greek cuisine. You have me curious about the seeds and the liquor, I sense a homework assignment here. Thanks so much for this wonderful information.
Plus, that irrigation projects of Turkey, Syria and Iran reduced the flow into the marshes, thus, today, the wetlands are about 30% of the former size and the former fishermen buy frozen fish from Iran.
Joumana, I don’t make the jam but my mother makes a really nice compote.
Mariana
I tried leaving a comment earlier but your server was taking forever to respond so I gave up; I hope it won’t now! I just want to tell you how bowled over I am over your knowledge; I knew most of what you wrote about the Marsh Arabs but not that they recently discovered oil there. (Merde!)
These loquats are certainly tastier than the ones we are getting here or in Lebanon; we still enjoy them and I am intrigued by that liqueur you mention, I will have to buy it once I make it in your neck of the woods! (do you make the jam?)