flipPears in Spiced Wine and Honey, for the Issue de Table
Pears in Spiced Wine and Honey, for the Issue de Table
Why this dish? The end of a great banquet at Camelot calls for "issues de table": cooked fruits, spiced wines and dragées believed to aid digestion. Imported wine, a mark of the king's wealth mentioned even in his profile, perfumes these pears with gold and cinnamon — a dessert worthy of closing a Round Table feast.
Firm pears gently poached in red wine with honey, scented with cinnamon, ginger and cloves, taking on a dark, glossy hue. Tender, sweet-spiced, served warm in their syrup.
The feast draws to a close, but do not rise yet: at the issue of the table, the sweets that gladden the belly are served. See these pears that my cooks have confited in wine brought from the ships, with honey and those Eastern spices worth their weight in silver. Cinnamon and ginger warm the stomach, they say, and the pear grows dark like the garnet of my crown. Take one, it is the king's gift to his guest.
- •Firm pears (wardens) — as many as guests (poached fruit)
- •Red wine — enough to cover (poaching liquid)
- •Honey — generous (sweetness)
- •Cinnamon, ginger, cloves — to perfume (noble spices)
- •Saffron (optional) — a pinch (color and luxury)
Pears in Spiced Wine and Honey, for the Issue de Table
Firm pears gently poached in red wine with honey, scented with cinnamon, ginger and cloves, taking on a dark, glossy hue. Tender, sweet-spiced, served warm in their syrup.
Why this dish? The end of a great banquet at Camelot calls for "issues de table": cooked fruits, spiced wines and dragées believed to aid digestion. Imported wine, a mark of the king's wealth mentioned even in his profile, perfumes these pears with gold and cinnamon — a dessert worthy of closing a Round Table feast.
The feast draws to a close, but do not rise yet: at the issue of the table, the sweets that gladden the belly are served. See these pears that my cooks have confited in wine brought from the ships, with honey and those Eastern spices worth their weight in silver. Cinnamon and ginger warm the stomach, they say, and the pear grows dark like the garnet of my crown. Take one, it is the king's gift to his guest.
Ingredients (period version)
- Firm pears (wardens) — as many as guests (poached fruit)
- Red wine — enough to cover (poaching liquid)
- Honey — generous (sweetness)
- Cinnamon, ginger, cloves — to perfume (noble spices)
- Saffron (optional) — a pinch (color and luxury)
Ingredients
- Firm pears (Conference, firm-fleshed) — 4 (poached fruit)
- Red wine — 500 ml (poaching)
- Honey — 4 tbsp (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (spice)
- Fresh ginger — 2-3 slices (spicy warmth)
- Cloves — 3 (perfume)
Method
- Peel the pears, leaving the stem on; cut a thin slice from the base so they stand upright.
- In a saucepan, combine wine, honey and spices; bring to a simmer.
- Add the pears, cover and poach gently for 25-35 minutes depending on firmness, turning halfway.
- Carefully remove the pears; reduce the spiced syrup for 10 minutes until it coats a spoon.
- Spoon the warm syrup over the pears and serve warm (with a little frumenty or gingerbread for adults).
How it was made : The Forme of Cury (circa 1390) gives a recipe for "wardonys in syrip": keeping pears poached in wine and honey with cinnamon, ginger and spice powder, coloured with saffron or grape blood. Spices, imported at great cost, signalled wealth and were believed to aid digestion at the end of a meal.
The contemporary twist : Plate the pear upright in a shallow dish, a mirror of garnet syrup around it, golden stem pointing skyward: "Arthur's Crowned Pear".
Sources : Forme of Cury (England, circa 1390), "Wardonys in syrip" · T. Scully, The Art of Cookery in the Middle Ages (1995)
King Arthur · Charactorium
