Limousin, France

"Japanese quince?" I have a shrub in my French garden which I have always assumed to be a "chaenomeles etc. (sorry, can't remember the full proper name!) + bright reddish-pink flowers, leaves tinged with red, height currently c. 7ft. I had one in Norfolk but I don't think it fruited; here this one seems to be doing so at present (first time in 4 years). The fruit look a bit like small misshapen apples... I think I read somewhere these are edible (though nasty if raw!) As I make jam/jellies can I use the fruit of this? (related to "real" quinces/quoins? - no-one locally here seem to know... but worth a try unless someone warns me against it? When would they be ripe? Like apples? (I was going to cut back bush now it's flowered but shan't if it'll give me some fruit to try...)

Thanks any and all for your advice (no photo so far as persistent thunderstorms ever since I noted the fruit earlier today...! - see, it's not ALWAYS 'La Belle France', weatherwise..)

• 7 Jul, 2012