806. Winter Pears.—To put an end to its long and hard existence, I would cut it into six or eight pieces lengthwise, peel and cut out the cores, giving them a nice shape; then put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of sugar, a gill of port wine, the thin rind of a lemon, a little cinnamon, and half a pint of water; let them simmer gently about an hour or until tender; when done, put them into a basin, reduce the syrup until thickish if required, and pour over; when cold they are ready to serve.
A little prepared cochineal mixed with the syrup very much improves their appearance. A dish composed half of these and half of the white has a very pretty appearance. By placing a layer of marmalade among them, at the bottom of the dish, you may dish them in crown, or any shape you like.
807. Compote of Peaches.—Put half a pound of lump sugar (broken into small pieces) into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pint of water, which set upon the fire to boil until forming a thickish syrup; you have previously cut four ripe peaches in halves, lay them carefully in the boiling syrup to simmer a couple of minutes, then carefully remove them with a colander-spoon on to a hair-sieve to drain, when remove the skins, and dress the peaches neatly upon your dessert-dish; reduce the syrup until of a good consistency, and when cold pour it over, and they are ready to serve.
808. Compote of Apples.—Procure six nice ripe apples, but not too large, which peel, cut in halves, and cut out the cores, rub each piece over with a little lemon, and put them into boiling syrup made as last directed, but with the juice of a lemon, and the rind cut into small fillets added; let the apple stew until tender, but not broken, when drain them upon a sieve, reduce the syrup; and when both are cold, dress the apple neatly upon your dish, and pour the syrup over. A little green angelique, cut in various shapes, will make a pretty ornament on any white compote.
809. Compote of small Apples, served whole.—Select nine small golden pippins, each as nearly as possible of an equal size, and with a long round vegetable cutter, of the size of a sixpenny piece, cut out the cores, then peel them very thin and smooth, rub their surface with lemon juice, and throw them into a basin of spring water; have ready boiling half a pint of syrup, made as before directed, to which add the rind of a lemon (cut into thin strips), and the juice, lay in the apples, which let simmer very gently until quite tender, when drain them upon a hair-sieve, and reduce the syrup until thickish; when quite cold, dress the apples upon your dish, five at the bottom, three upon them, and one upon the top; when ready to serve, pour the syrup over.
810. Compote of Green Apricots.—Have a pottle of green apricots, from which pick off all the stalks, and throw them into a stewpan containing a quart of boiling water, and let them boil very fast for ten minutes, and drain them upon a sieve: have ready half a pint of syrup made as before directed, in which boil them until tender, but not to break, and thicken the syrup, pour the whole into a basin until quite cold; should the syrup then be too thin, strain it off into the stewpan to reduce to a proper consistency, pouring it again over the apricots when quite cold. Dish tastefully.