flipAvalon Apples Preserved in Honey
Avalon Apples Preserved in Honey
Why this dish? Avalon, the "Isle of Apples," is the mythical place linked to Agatha and the Arthurian world. Preserving orchard apples in honey is keeping a little of Avalon's sweetness for the dead season: the preserving gesture of far-sighted peasant women.
Tart apple wedges gently cooked in honey with a hint of sage, keeping for weeks in their amber syrup. Sweet and tangy: the reserve of sweetness for months without fresh fruit.
Winter is long in the land of Logres, little one, and the tree gives nothing under the snow. So when apples fall in abundance, I let not a single one rot. I cut them into wedges, remove the seeds, and lay them in warm honey with a sage leaf. Over the dying fire, they slowly confit. Jarred, sealed with wax, they will be a treat for Candlemas—a taste of Avalon when all is frozen outside.
- •Tart orchard apples — a basket (base fruit)
- •Honey — enough to coat them (preservative / syrup)
- •Sage or verbena — one leaf (flavoring)
- •Beeswax — for sealing (jar preservation)
Avalon Apples Preserved in Honey
Tart apple wedges gently cooked in honey with a hint of sage, keeping for weeks in their amber syrup. Sweet and tangy: the reserve of sweetness for months without fresh fruit.
Why this dish? Avalon, the "Isle of Apples," is the mythical place linked to Agatha and the Arthurian world. Preserving orchard apples in honey is keeping a little of Avalon's sweetness for the dead season: the preserving gesture of far-sighted peasant women.
Winter is long in the land of Logres, little one, and the tree gives nothing under the snow. So when apples fall in abundance, I let not a single one rot. I cut them into wedges, remove the seeds, and lay them in warm honey with a sage leaf. Over the dying fire, they slowly confit. Jarred, sealed with wax, they will be a treat for Candlemas—a taste of Avalon when all is frozen outside.
Ingredients (period version)
- Tart orchard apples — a basket (base fruit)
- Honey — enough to coat them (preservative / syrup)
- Sage or verbena — one leaf (flavoring)
- Beeswax — for sealing (jar preservation)
Ingredients
- Tart apples (Reinette, Boskoop) — 4 large (base fruit)
- Honey — 200 g (preservative / syrup)
- Water — 100 ml (thins the syrup)
- Fresh sage — 2 leaves (flavoring)
- Juice of half a lemon (or verjuice) — a splash (acidity / color retention)
Method
- Peel and cut the apples into wedges, remove the cores, sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- In a saucepan, gently warm the honey with water and sage until a fluid syrup forms.
- Add the apple wedges and let them confit over very low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, without boiling: they should become translucent and hold their shape.
- Transfer to sterilized jars, cover with hot syrup, seal immediately.
- Store in a cool place; enjoy as a companage with cheese or the rye honey cakes.
How it was made : Before cane sugar, honey was THE fruit preservative: its high concentration prevents microbial growth. Confiting fruits and roots in honey, sealing jars with wax, was a common medieval pantry technique to get through winter.
The contemporary twist : Served warm over the morning oatmeal porridge (recipe r1) or with fresh cheese: the loop between all of Agatha's recipes closes.
Sources : Le Ménagier de Paris (c. 1393) · Odile Redon, La Gastronomie au Moyen Âge
Agatha Southeil · Charactorium
