nespola

Eriobotrya japonica, also known as a nespola japonica, Japanese medlar, Maltese plum or nespolo. Nespole (or nespoli) are a relatively recent imported fruit, and are quite popular, especially in the south. Sicily grows a lot of them that ripen in the spring, and usually eaten fresh or used to make Nespolino.

The European medlar (Mespilus germanica) gives a fruit that ripens in winter (Italians tend to call both loquats and medlars nespole) that was popular among the ancient Greeks and Romans after the first frost. The fruit remains hard and inedible unless it spends 15 days fermenting on straw. Then it is used in jams, etc.