Royal Medlar Tree
Some medlar fruit lovers prefer to pick off the fruit in the fall and let it soften out of its astringent phase inside the house, where the medlars can be eaten and enjoyed all winter. Once the medlars become soft, they are ripe and ready to eat and enjoy by just peeling back the skin to expose the pulp. In the fall and winter the branches and twigs of the Royal Medlar trees are literally covered with fruit that most orchardists prefer to remain on the tree until soft. A plate full of medlar fruit will please your family, if eaten along as a supplement to enhance the flavor of wine. Many medlar varieties, such as the Royal, will be ripe and ready to eat during the Christmas holidays. The aroma of the medlar is a fragrance that is unique and unforgettably distinct. The shape of a medlar is very similar to a ripe crabapple fruit. Medlars can be eaten fresh or cooked, stewed, roasted or made into a pie or jelly.