Medlar-ing

This is a medlar fruit from a tree near my house. The medlar tree has been around for centuries (and was mentioned by Shakespeare) but fell out of favour in recent years, possibly because the fruit takes a long time to become edible...or maybe because the other name for the tree is the 'dog's arse tree', for obvious reasons (see picture). I am buying one of these as a Christmas present this year and so is my housemate. We are on a one house mission to bring them back into fashion.