It’s quince-picking season in the farmlands near Lake Chapala, a great time to plan a day trip to Atotonilquillo for the annual town festival celebrated in conjunction with the summer harvest.
Customarily held on the second weekend of this month, Atotoniquillo’s 19th annual Expo Membrillo fair is set to run on August 11 and 12. The two-day program of activities will be centered at the Plaza Centenario town square where local fruit growers and family-operated cottage industries set up exhibition booths to market the tangy fruit, offered both in its natural state and as the main ingredient in an array of edible products.
The festival agenda also features non-stop live entertainment both days, with musical groups, singers and dance troupes taking turns on stage from around 11 a.m. until midnight. Country-fair style contests among the locals will take place at midday on Sunday only. Different judging panels will score competition for the most creative booth decoration, 11 a.m., the most delectable quince-based cordial, jellied fruit paste and novelty food item, Noon, and the largest and best formed sample of the fresh-picked fruit, 1 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to the winners starting at 2 p.m., spaced between numbers by the Maldeorin Mariachi Trio.
Getting thereAtotoniquillo is located about 45 kilometers south east of Guadalajara, just off highway to Ocotlan-La Barca. The left-hand turn-off into the center of town is situated 11 kilometers beyond the Santa Rosa junction, a short distance after Atequiza. Metro area residents should drive towards Chapala, veering to the left at Santa Rosa. Lakesiders should head out of Chapala in the direction of the airport, branching off in the right-hand lane before crossing the overpass at the same interchange.
Expo Membrillo goodies
Cajeta or Ate de Membrillo – A dense jellied paté made of cooked quince formed into solid bricks or molded into decorative shapes. Available in the chunky martajada style containing bits of fruit or a smooth paste concocted with juice pressed from the cooked fruit. Sliced ate paired with slivers of fresh panela or other types of cheese is often served as classic Mexican dessert.
Ponche de Membrillo - Sweet fruit cordial made from quince, sugar and aguardiente or sugar cane alcohol.
Pastries – All sorts of fresh-baked quince pies, tarts and turn-overs are sold at the fair, including some sold hot from ovens set up on site.
Preserves – Jars of conserva, cooked quince slices preserved in heavy syrup, may be served as a sweet course, used as a garnish for meat dishes or employed as a cooking ingredient.
Speciality items – Local folk take advantage of Expo Membrillo to introduce new concepts in quince by-products. The fruit may be used as the main flavoring ingredient for tamales, frozen sherbet, yogurt, soda pop and beer.
Fresh fruit – Newly harvested quince may be purchased whole by weight for the home larder. The raw fruit is also sold in slices garnished with a pinch of sea salt, dry chile powder and a squeeze of fresh lime juice as a snack food.
The quince is considered an ancient ancestor of the apple, widely associated with matters of the heart — fertility, love and marriage. Some scholars label it as the infamous “forbidden fruit” of the Garden of Eden. Among the ancient Greeks the quince was linked with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and customarily presented as a ritual offering at weddings, used by the bride to perfume her breath before entering the bridal chamber.
The skin of the immature quince is green and covered with a soft, gray fuzz that disappears as it ripens and turns yellow. The firm, strongly perfumed flesh is known for its tart flavor, astringency produced by tannins and high pectin content. Due to its natural chemical components, the fruit turns golden to red when cooked. Its medicinal properties may enhance digestion, aid in weight loss and help lower blood cholesterol.