Compote with pears and plums

Compote is a traditional drink for the peoples of Eastern Europe and Russia, served for dessert and combining decoctions and syrups from various fruit and berry crops. The word itself came to us from the French lexicon, and before that, the fruit decoction was simply called brew or uzvar. This drink was considered festive and was often served at the Christmas table, and it has been known in Russia since the 18th century. In his homeland, in France, he appeared much earlier in the form of fruit purees, which can still be purchased on the narrow streets of the most romantic country.

Having migrated to Russian tables, compote immediately fell in love with ordinary people and became one of the key dishes during the meal. The advantage of this drink was also that it could be prepared both with the use of sugar and without it, preserving the maximum of the useful qualities of the raw materials used, its taste and aroma. At the same time, not only fruits and berries, but even vegetables could be used to prepare compote, and some cereals could be used to increase its nutritional value.