Title: Pears in Wine Syrup (Scottish Medieval)
Categories: British Medieval Fruit Alcohol
Yield: 6 Servings

		** British Measurements **
6	lg	Pears; firm
3/4	pt	Dry red wine
4	oz	Caster sugar
1/2	ts	Ground cinnamon
	pn	Ground ginger
		Red food colouring
		Bay leaves to decorate

Put the wine, sugar and spices in an enamel-lined or stainless steel saucepan just large enough to hold the pears standing upright. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the pears as thinly as possible, leaving the stalks on. Core them from the base if you wish. Put the pears into the hot syrup, cover and simmer very gently for 20 to 30 minutes, or until just tender, basting them occasionally with the syrup. Transfer the pears to a serving dish with a slotted spoon. Taste the syrup and stir in a little more sugar to taste, then boil rapidly without covering until reduced by half and of a coating consistency. Cool a little, then spoon over the pears to give them an attractive reddish gleam. If the colour of the syrup does not seem bright enough, intensify it with 2 or 3 drops of red food colouring. Continue to baste the pears with the syrup until cold, then chill until ready to serve. Decorate with bay leaves stuck into the stalk ends of the pears.

Makes about 6 servings. ** A Book of Historical Recipes ** : by Sara Paston-Williams The National Trust of Scotland, 1995 ISBN = 0-7078-0240-7

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ORIGINAL RECIPE::

Wardonys in Syrup (dated from 1430 AD)

"Take wardonys (wardens or hard pears), and caste on a potte, and boyle hem til they ben tender; then take hem up and pare hem, and kyttle (cut) hem in two pecys; take y-now of powder of canel (cinnamon), a good quantyte, and caste it on red wyne, and draw it throw (through) a strynour; caste sugre ther-to, and put it (in) an erthen pot, and let it boyle; and thanne caste the perys (pears) ther-to, and let boyle togederys (together), and when they have boyle a whyle, take pouder of gyngere and caste ther-to, and a lytil venegre (vinegar), and a lytil safron, and loke that it be poynaunt and dowcet."

Historical note: Warden pears were hard and much larger than any other variety.

From: Fred Ball Date: 30 Nov 96 National Cooking Echo Ä

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