A Specialty Gin (and a New Orchard!) with a Fruit That's Making a Comeback

How to Grow and Cook Medlar

Jane Steward, author of Medlars – Growing & Cooking, talks about how to grow medlar, how to cook medlar, and shares some fascinating medlar facts. (Find out how medlar wood was used in Dutch windmills!)

Steward planted a medlar orchard, holds the UK National Collection of medlars, and runs Eastgate Larder—a food business where she processes medlar.

We talk about:

• How to grow medlar (Mespilus germanica)
• How to cook medlar
• Steward’s journey into planting a medlar orchard and starting a food-processing business 
• How to “blet” medlar 
• Medlar rootstock
• Medlar fruit in Turkey and around the Caspian Sea
• (Spoiler alert: we also hear about medlar gin and a delicious medlar chutney)

“If you want to have medlars in your life you really need to have a tree!”