on just about every roadside.

But there is some debate about where they came from. According to the Agriculture and Fisheries Monthly Bulletin, the loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is recorded as being introduced to Bermuda from Malta by Governor Reid in 1850. But another story says the first loquat seeds were introduced in 1853 after a ship bound from Japan to England, which came into St. George's in distress.

Loquats make delicious jams, jellies and pies so why not take some time to cook with them instead of eating them right away -- tempting as the thought is.

LOQUAT CHUTNEY 6 lbs. loquats (skinned and seeded) 2-1 lbs. white sugar 1 lb seedless raisins 2 tins chunk pineapple 1 cup cider vinegar 1-1 tsps. salt 1 tsp cinnamon onion salt -- celery salt 1 tsp ground ginger 2 bottles red cherries 2 bottles green cherries 2 bottles chili sauce Tabasco MIX all together and cook 2 1 hours. Bring to a quick boil and turn down low and cook slowly. Put in chili sauce about 10 mins. before chutney is ready.

PICKLED WHOLE LOQUATS Use the largest loquats available, remove only stem and flower ends, leaving seeds and skin on loquats. Put whole clove in both ends of each loquat and place in large glass bottle until full, leaving about 1 at top. Pack fairly tight. Bring to boil: 3 cups white vinegar, 2 cups sugar, 1 tsp. salt. Pour over loquats and seal.

LOQUAT MOUSSE 1 pkt. lemon jelly 2 pts. loquat juice COOK loquats until tender. When cool, stone and skin. Put into a liquidizer.

Measure juice to make 2 pints. Chill until set.

Recipes from Pot Pourri -- St. John's Guild DEEP-DISH LOQUAT PIE The filling for this pie is pure loquat, cooked only in its own juice with no water added and no flour used for thickening. It takes time to wash, seed, and cut up such a quantity of loquats in preparation for cooking, but the result is well worth the effort.

12 cups prepared loquats 1 1 cups sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ginger 1 tsp allspice pastry for 9-inch double crust pie MAKE pastry ahead of time and place bottom crust in pie pan in freezer until ready to use.

Put prepared loquats in a large cooking pot with a few seeds for flavour. Add sugar, salt and spices but no water. Bring to boil uncovered, then boil gently for about 40 minutes until juice has evaporated. (Watch closely and stir frequently after half an hour). When thickened remove from heat, add one tablespoon butter. Cool. Remove seeds.

Spoon filling into cold pie crust, put on top crust as usual. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake on bottom shelf of 450 degree oven for ten minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees, raise pie to middle shelf, continue baking about another 20 minutes until pastry is done.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

From What's Cooking in Bermuda by Betsy Ross.

LOQUAT PIE 5 cups loquats 1 cups water 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. allspice 1 1 cup sugar 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 1 tsp. nutmeg WASH and quarter loquats, removing seeds. Add water and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender.

Mix dry ingredients together; stir in with loquats. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; cool.

Prepare pastry for 9 inch pie plate. When filling is cool, pour into pie plate containing bottom crust. Cover with top crust.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes; turn down heat to 325, and bake for 30 minutes more.

From International Cooking in Bermuda.

LOQUAT GINGER JAM 6 cups loquats measured after seeded cut 1 oz green ginger peeled and grated 4 cups sugar 1 cup water WASH and stone fruit, save seeds and tie in muslin bag. Put fruit, seeds and water in a pot. Cook until tender. Add sugar and ginger. Remove bag of seeds.

Boil until mixture sets. Bottle in sterile jars and seal.

LOQUAT CHUTNEY 1 1 lbs. seeded loquats 1 lb chopped onions 1 lb grated apple 2 teaspoons mustard 1 teaspoon curry 1 tablespoon molasses 1 teaspoon ginger 1 pint vinegar 2 cups water 1 cup raisins WASH, stone and cut up loquats into small pieces. Prepare apples and onions.

Put all ingredients in a pot and boil gently until soft and a good colour.

Pour into hot jars and seal.

From The Continental Society of Bermuda Cookbook GOLDEN FRUIT -- Loquats, delicious when picked and eaten straight from the tree, are equally good when they are cooked or preserved.