Christmas may be over but it seems that nature is still celebrating.There are still some decorations scattered at the scene. Especially at this time of the year, a walk in the woods can offer a view of gorgeous trees that were loaded with gold, red, orange balls until recently and are now almost completely naked. As you can imagine, I am talking about the quince, pomegranate, and lotus trees... As I look at them, these trees look like they were created primarily to decorate nature and Christmas with their presence!! Beautiful, uncomplicated and unpretentious, without sparkle and glitter. Simply gorgeous!! Mother Nature is wise. Less is more!!

We spent the weekend in the country and I was given the time to observe the trees and nature at this time and to gather a lot of their fruits. Today I will focus on the quince. Have you ever seen a quince tree? Have you seen how over-laden it usually is? Many huge fruits hang on each tree and their weight appears to make them lean forward. I observed that most of them were supported with a ballast. I cut quite a few quinces not only because we love to eat this fruit but also because I thought that this would lighten the load that the poor hunched over trees were carrying.

I really love quinces - for their golden color, their unique aroma, the superb sweet and sour taste!! They play a major role in cooking and give our dishes these beautiful flavors and scents. Of course, this is their season, and we associate them with Christmas and our festive tables. When I gather quinces, I always collect more than I need to cook because in our home, we always use quinces for decorative purposes as well.

Since I like the quince so much, I started reading about this fruit. And what I read was impressive!! In antiquity, it must have been an ancestor of the apple and referred to as a "golden apple". It could have been what Eve gave to Adam!! In mythology, it is also connected with the goddess Aphrodite and for this reason, it is also known as the fruit of love and beauty! Its roots seem to be in the Caucasus. The ancient Greeks connected the quince with fertility and for this reason, it was offered generously at weddings. And, of course, the list of nutritional values is endless!! It is extremely rich in vitamins and all the healthy nutrients and as the saying goes - a quince a day keeps the doctor  away!!

The trees are now completely naked. There is also this sweet melancholy in the atmosphere and in our moods given that our days are short, reminding us that we are officially in the heart of winter. This period is very strange. Although I adore these changes in the weather and the darker hues, I also enjoy every ray of sunshine and the bright weather which appears unexpectedly. So, during the upcoming weekend and in this mood, I am determined to cook something that is a must for such a time of year. Sweet, yes you heard correctly - something sweet!! I do not often cook sweets but sometimes it does happen!

Quince Galette, commonly known as Quince Tart!! A beautiful tart that I will make with quinces that I gathered from our trees!  When I first made this tart, I must admit that I was impressed. The sweet and sour, crunchy flavor of the quince is fantastic!! And the dough is so perfect, so crispy! In our house, it disappears in no time!! That is why I double and sometimes triple the recipe!! As the main dessert, it is delicious with whipped cream or ice cream, but we also love it plain for breakfast or afternoon coffee. Besides the taste, this tart fills the house with the most wonderful scent of cinnamon and vanilla!!