The fruits are very hard and astringent and very unpleasant to eat raw, though they do soften and become less astringent after frost (when they are said to be "bletted"). They are, however, suitable for making liqueurs, as well as marmalade and preserves, as they contain more pectin than apples and true quinces. The fruits are sometimes used as a substitute for true quinces, though the fruit of flowering quinces is considered by some to be inferior in flavor compared to the fruit of true quinces.