Quince vodka makes the most glorious golden tipple. Serve in a liqueur glass or try a measure mixed with double the amount of orange juice. It's good with peach juice too.

• 70cl vodka
• 175-200g golden granulated or soft light brown cane sugar, according to taste
• 2-3 medium unblemished quince, around 300g grated weight
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

You will need a large sterilised jar with a tightly fitting lid

Pour the vodka into the jar, add the sugar and shake well.

Wash and dry the quince. Rub with a soft cloth to remove the downy fluff, There’s no need to peel.

Grate the quince coarsely onto a clean board, right down to the core.

Toss it quickly in lemon juice to prevent browning and immerse in the vodka.

Shake well. Store in a cool dry place and shake daily for a couple of weeks then occasionally for another couple of months.

Once a couple of months has gone by, strain into a sterilised bottle, discarding spent quince, and keep for another couple of months before drinking: something to cheer the dark days of late January/February!

General Quince Notes

Quince are ready to pick when they are bright golden yellow and pull away easily from the tree.

Too hard and tart to eat raw, they cook beautifully with a bit of sugar, tasting like an exotic, perfumed, apple with hints of honey and passion fruit. Like apples (which they partner perfectly) they are happy in both sweet and savoury situations.

You can store ripe, unblemished fruit for couple of months, wash and dry carefully and polish off any remaining downy fluff. Wrap loosely in paper in trays in a single layer. Leave in a cool, dry, dark, frost-free place. Check regularly.

Alternatively, refrigerate unblemished, clean, de-fluffed quince for a couple of weeks, loosely wrapped, not sealed, in a plastic bag in the salad drawer: they bruise easily so don’t pile anything on top.

Tip

Arrange a quince in bowls to scent the house with their gorgeous fragrance.

Tip

Cook medium size ripe quince for best results.