Loquats!!!

Loquats are still in season now, around October – November. There are probably different varieties; the trees in the neighbourhood are not in synch and some have a more yellow flesh and a skin that’s hard to peel.

I am grateful for a local fruit when no much else produces fruits (yet).

If not eaten straight away, I try to keep a stalk attached.

The best way I found to eat them: peel back, then munch your way around, leaving the pips together. See photos.

A ripe loquat is deep orange all around; the taste of a ripe loquat is really worth it.

The pips (plenty of that!) are better placed in a ground worm farm where they’ll germinate then die rather than a compost – where they’ll germinate after you spread the compost in your garden.

Generally speaking they can be used anywhere you’d use apple, pear, apricots or plum – even sauces.

If still yellow, at least on one side, it is tarter, hence perfect to make jelly because full of pectin and acid. Keep the peel (maybe not the pips) before cooking with just enough water to cover, reduce by about a 1/3, squeeze and strain, add ¾ to 1 cup of sugar per cup of liquid collected, cook still thickens, bottle.

I am experimenting with making sorbet with them which seems to work. I am only using a bamix type stick for this but you could use an ice cream maker. With only 2 Tsp. sugar per 500g of loquat pieces it is not as sugary as a jam or jelly.

Here the recipe:

500g of loquat pieces (peeled) partially frozen so it does not go brown

2 lemons juice and zest

2 Tsp. of sugar

The recipe said to add 1 tsp of mint leaves but I went for tips of Lemon Balm and Cedronella who both gain greatly from being tip pruned regularly

Blend, partially freeze the lot, blend at intervals in order to get small ice crystal for a smooth mouthfeel. Leave overnight.

The result is quite pleasing in colour and taste. I might try to reduce the lemony things in it to get more of the loquat taste, I will try with other fruits this summer and maybe also with yoghurt. Should be fun!

What I do not know yet are the results of an incredibly too simple recipe for Brandied Loquats. I won’t tell you as there may be children reading this or even worse my teenagers! But if it works there may be some ready just in time for the Newlands’ Christmas in the Park time. You can ask me about it at the food swap too.

So whatever which idea ticks your box; from free local fruit, less food waste, low food miles, less fruit littering the footpaths, no packaging, less unsuitable organic matter ending in our creeks, low cost, less supermarket trips, yummy fresh healthy food (mmm, maybe not the brandied stuff!), enjoy your loquats!

Remember to look around your garden and neighbourhood for snails for the swap on Sunday. With this weather and if you want to protect your Basil, go and get them. Collected 2.5 kg last week in one short neighbourhood walk! Unreal!

Love Pascale.