The quince was well known as early as the sixth century A. BC, and was prized by the Greeks, Romans and Arabs. There are many myths about the quince, many of them to do with love, marriage and fertility, and in ancient Greece the quince was substituted for an engagement ring when proposing to a betrothed; it has enjoyed an elder statesman position in the fruit kingdom ever since. Today, it is generally thought of as rare and rather special, with a unique and memorable flavour; but it is also a bit of a nuisance when it comes to cooking. Quince are hard and to get the best out of them it is necessary to cook them slowly, though there is no need to follow the instructions given to a piemaker in 1588 ? that he must 'cook the quince pie well for 6 hours'. This tart is based on the old traditions of using quinces to make a thick and delicious sweet paste - something exported from Portugal in the late Middle Ages and the forerunner of our breakfast marmalade. Many tarts and pies in Tudor and Stuart times involved the pre-cooking of the fruit in a wine syrup, reducing down to a thickish paste and then topping with a cream custard before baking. Once the quinces have been taken care of, this is a very easy tart to make and gives a genuine taste of Old England.