Membrillo and Autumn's best kept secret. 17 May 2013. I too have gathered quince from McLaren Falls Park and with them made jam, jelly and cheese and grown my own trees from the pips.
The trees in the park aren't true quince but Pseudocydonia sinensis or Chinese false quince. The true quince or Cydonia oblonga has bigger, beautiful aromatic fruit with a grainier texture.
Over the last two years I have been making cheese from the true quince and realise it is a far superior product in every way - set, colour, flavour and texture than ever achieved with the false quince.
If any of your readers would like to try a fruit cheese we have quince, damson and crab apple for sale at our cafe in McLaren Falls Park and we serve the quince with our antipasto platter.

Miranda Campbell, Tauranga.