The Mint Needle

Quince is known as one of the best fruits for jelly's and preserves.  A couple years ago, I stole a baby shoot from my in-laws backyard. (Old wives tale - if you 'steal' a plant, it's more likely to grow and flourish.) This tree has grown into a beautiful 12ft sight, flowering pinkish white buds in late spring.  (And, yes, they eventually found out.) This is the first year that the tree fruited to such an extent, I was able to make my first preserve/jelly. Now, in all honesty, the key to this recipe is measurement, meaning: everything depends on how much fruit you have. For the Quince preserve, I took a giant mixing bowl and filled it with water and two teaspoons of lemon juice. (Lemon juice to keep it from turning brown. But- don't be surprised if it still does a little.) I peeled all the quince very carefully, literally trying to remove only the tough skin. 'Organic' or what I call backyard fruit, really looks imperfect, with holes, dimples, and darken...