Compote

Compote (French for "mixture") is a dessert originating from medieval Europe, made of whole or pieces of fruit in sugar syrup. Whole fruits are cooked in water with sugar and spices. The syrup may be seasoned with vanilla, lemon or orange peel, cinnamon sticks or powder, cloves, other spices, ground almonds, grated coconut, candied fruit, or raisins. The compote is served either warm or cold.

History

Compote conformed to the medieval belief that fruit cooked in sugar syrup balanced the effects of humidity on the body. The name is derived from the Latin word compositus, meaning mixture. In late medieval England it was served at the beginning of the last course of a feast (or sometimes the second of three courses), often accompanied by a creamy potage. During the Renaissance, it was served chilled at the end of dinner. Because it was easy to prepare, made from inexpensive ingredients and contained no dairy products, compote became a staple of Jewish households throughout Europe.

Compote (game dish)

A compote is a dish made from game meat. Some examples of the game meat used are rabbit, partridge and pigeon. The meat is cooked in a roux for a long time over low heat along with pearl onions and bacon added at the end. The dish is cooked until the meat has a fine texture and has completely fallen from the bones.

References

Compote (disambiguation)

Compote can refer to:

See also