In ancient Greece, the quince was known as the sacred fruit of the Goddess Aphrodite, a symbol of love, sweetness, fertility and prosperity.
In Greek mythology, the quince was known as the Golden Apple, due to its resemblance to that close cousin and to the pear. The immature quince grows with a green skin that turns yellow as it ripens.
The fruit is also sometimes referred to as the Apple of Discord for its place in the mythological accounts of the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, at which the goddess of strife, Eris, tossed a golden apple inscribed with the words “to the fairest.” The phrase sparked a fierce dispute between the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Zeus settled the matter by calling upon Trojan prince Paris to choose the most beautiful of the three deities. Aphrodite won the apple by bribing Paris with the love of Helen of Troy, which ultimately triggered the Trojan War.
Due to this divine association, quinces became prominent in ancient Greek marriage ceremonies. Brides traditionally chewed on a piece of quince to sweeten the breath before entering the bridal chamber, an assumed guarantee of fertility and a life of marital bliss.
According to culinarybackstreets.com, Chania, the guest city of the upcoming Ixtlahuacán Festival del Membrillo, is the ancient settlement on the Isle of Crete once known as Cydonia, a name embodying the etymological root of the English word quince.