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Growing up in south of france, we had a few of theses tree ("Néflier") scattered around the village. I really loved the fruits as a kid, it was a true delicacy.

Growing up in south of france, we had a few of theses tree ("Néflier") scattered around the village. I really loved the fruits as a kid, it was a true delicacy. We had to wait until the first freeze in december, and pick them off the ground after bletting. they are really sweet, with a touch of alcool, and one of the few fruit you can find in the wild during the winter. Now the title is a little bit misleading, they fell out of favor, and not widely available commercially, but definetly not forgotten.

11235813213455 6y ago
I live in the South-east, and Néfles/Medlars start appearing now actually, tend to be ready in May, when they start turning from yellow to orange. In the summer they're all gone, maybe we're speaking about different species, I think here those Néfliers are 'Japan Medlars', so are not in the same cycle Persimmons are ready between October and December. Agrums (like mandarines, clementines) from January to March.Figs in summer Basically you can have something to pick all year long, if people can stop replacing trees by concrete Edit: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26612839 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26612839 said it all, what I'm talking about are loquats, not medlars, we still call them "néfliers" though
- puzzlingcaptcha 6y ago
  Do the fruits taste similar?
  - nkurz 6y ago
    Not really. At least, if you hadn't been told in advance that the loquat was also called the "Japanese medlar", you probably wouldn't think they had anything more in common than a pear and a plum, or an apple and an apricot. Loquats have a mild citrus-apricot flavor and a texture close to a somewhat meaty plum or cherry. When immature, they are very tart; when overripe, they are insipid; when just right, they can be great. Medlar are only eaten when "bletted", which means that they've become browned and spoonably soft. They taste of overripe spiced stewed apple/pear/quince, although no spice has been added. When just right, they are "interesting".
  - pvaldes 6y ago
    Not. Loquat is a summer fruit that tastes tropical, like pineaple, acidic, juicy and refreshing. Texture similar to peach. Medlar is a winter fruit said to have the texture and flavor of a good apple cream. Both trees are relatively similar in shape, but very different also in character. Lets say that Loquat "is a Magnolia" and Medlar "is an oak".
- samatman 6y ago
  When I was still living in the East Bay, loquats were a favourite of mine! They're planted all over the place, but it doesn't seem that people eat the fruit anymore. Easy to pick your fill when they're ripe. They aren't the best eating, but not half bad.
  - Baeocystin 6y ago
    They make a very tasty jam! https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?t=1113054 https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?t=1113054 The seeds make a good liqueur, too. https://www.reddit.com/r/glassblowing/comments/1h5je5/my_latest_bottling_of_loquat_seed_liqueur/ https://www.reddit.com/r/glassblowing/comments/1h5je5/my_lat...
    - NL807 6y ago
      The post on Arstechnica forum is related to Loquat trees, which is different from Medlars.
      - Baeocystin 6y ago
        Yes. 11235813213455 was thinking of loquats, not medlars, so I added on to that.
  - Aloha 6y ago
    I grew up in Southern California, I remember eating them lots as a kid.
  - lhjn 6y ago
    Still common in Italy, one if my favorites! I believe they're quite common in Japan as well.
kergonath 6y ago
Yeah, the angle is strange. AFAIK people never stopped using medlar, at least in France. I remember my grandmother making pies, cakes, and jam with it when I was a kid. It might not be a very popular fruit (it’s difficult to sell it when it’s edible, and you’d have to convince people to eat what the’ drake for rotten fruit), but “forgotten” is a bit much.
- kergonath 6y ago
  To eat what they’d take* No idea what the spell checker was up to...
samfar90 6y ago
In Morocco where I grew up, they are quite popular. But we don't wait for them to be rotten before we eat them. So maybe it's a different variety (In moroccan dialect they are called "Mezah")
Toutouxc 6y ago
I agree, while not the most popular fruit, these can still be found in city parks and people's gardens, I believe I've also seen them in stores. Btw it's "mišpule" in Czech.

11235813213455 6y ago

I live in the South-east, and Néfles/Medlars start appearing now actually, tend to be ready in May, when they start turning from yellow to orange. In the summer they're all gone, maybe we're speaking about different species, I think here those Néfliers are 'Japan Medlars', so are not in the same cycle Persimmons are ready between October and December. Agrums (like mandarines, clementines) from January to March.Figs in summer Basically you can have something to pick all year long, if people can stop replacing trees by concrete Edit: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26612839 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26612839 said it all, what I'm talking about are loquats, not medlars, we still call them "néfliers" though

puzzlingcaptcha 6y ago
Do the fruits taste similar?
- nkurz 6y ago
  Not really. At least, if you hadn't been told in advance that the loquat was also called the "Japanese medlar", you probably wouldn't think they had anything more in common than a pear and a plum, or an apple and an apricot. Loquats have a mild citrus-apricot flavor and a texture close to a somewhat meaty plum or cherry. When immature, they are very tart; when overripe, they are insipid; when just right, they can be great. Medlar are only eaten when "bletted", which means that they've become browned and spoonably soft. They taste of overripe spiced stewed apple/pear/quince, although no spice has been added. When just right, they are "interesting".
- pvaldes 6y ago
  Not. Loquat is a summer fruit that tastes tropical, like pineaple, acidic, juicy and refreshing. Texture similar to peach. Medlar is a winter fruit said to have the texture and flavor of a good apple cream. Both trees are relatively similar in shape, but very different also in character. Lets say that Loquat "is a Magnolia" and Medlar "is an oak".
samatman 6y ago
When I was still living in the East Bay, loquats were a favourite of mine! They're planted all over the place, but it doesn't seem that people eat the fruit anymore. Easy to pick your fill when they're ripe. They aren't the best eating, but not half bad.
- Baeocystin 6y ago
  They make a very tasty jam! https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?t=1113054 https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?t=1113054 The seeds make a good liqueur, too. https://www.reddit.com/r/glassblowing/comments/1h5je5/my_latest_bottling_of_loquat_seed_liqueur/ https://www.reddit.com/r/glassblowing/comments/1h5je5/my_lat...
  - NL807 6y ago
    The post on Arstechnica forum is related to Loquat trees, which is different from Medlars.
    - Baeocystin 6y ago
      Yes. 11235813213455 was thinking of loquats, not medlars, so I added on to that.
- Aloha 6y ago
  I grew up in Southern California, I remember eating them lots as a kid.
- lhjn 6y ago
  Still common in Italy, one if my favorites! I believe they're quite common in Japan as well.

kergonath 6y ago

Yeah, the angle is strange. AFAIK people never stopped using medlar, at least in France. I remember my grandmother making pies, cakes, and jam with it when I was a kid. It might not be a very popular fruit (it’s difficult to sell it when it’s edible, and you’d have to convince people to eat what the’ drake for rotten fruit), but “forgotten” is a bit much.

kergonath 6y ago
To eat what they’d take* No idea what the spell checker was up to...

samfar90 6y ago

In Morocco where I grew up, they are quite popular. But we don't wait for them to be rotten before we eat them. So maybe it's a different variety (In moroccan dialect they are called "Mezah")

Toutouxc 6y ago

I agree, while not the most popular fruit, these can still be found in city parks and people's gardens, I believe I've also seen them in stores. Btw it's "mišpule" in Czech.