I only got to know the quince a couple of years ago, because friends had a quince tree in their garden; the quince is one of the "forgotten fruits". You cannot eat them raw, they are sour and hard. The quince originates from the area around Turkey and they have been eaten for many centuries. They were used to cook together with meat, because they soften the meat (just like vinegar), which was important at times when meat was not always tender. You can use quinces in sweet dishes, like pies and marmalade, but also in savory dishes.