Wardonys in syryp

Wardons or Pears in syrup is a classic dish to this day and involves the simple act of poaching pears in wine syrup. The largest difference between this and the more modern is the greater use of spices and the adding of vinegar to make a sweet and sour sauce. It is important to use slightly underripe pears for this dish so that you do not end up with pear sauce. The fruit should be softened but still firm when done. You end up with a great quantity of syrup because of the need to cover the fruit pieces- DO NOT throw it out. It keeps well and can be used to make the dish again and again by bringing the syrup to a simmer and adding new fruit. It s also good on pound cake, ice cream and bread puddings.

Wardonys in syryp- Take wardonys, an caste on a potte, and boyle hem till they ben tender; than take hem up and pare hem, an kytte hem in to pecys; take y-npw powder of canel, a good quantyte, an caste it on red wyne; an draw it throw a straynour; caste sugre ther-to, an put it an erthen pot, an let it boyle: an thane caste the perys ther-to, an let boyle togederys, an whan they have boyle a whyle, take pouder of gyngere an caste ther-to, an a lytil venegre, an a lytil saffron; an loke that it be poynaunt an dowcet.

Take wardons, and cast them in a pot, and boil them until they are tender. Then take them out of the water and pare them, and cut them into pieces. Take ground cinnamon, a good quantity, and cast it on red wine; and put it through a strainer; cast sugar in and put it all in an earthen pot and let it boil. Then add the pears and let it boil together and when they have boiled awhile, add ground ginger and a little vinegar and a little saffron to make it sour and sweet.


8 pears
1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
3 cups red wine
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
¼ cup vinegar
1 teaspoon saffron

Peel and core pears. In a pot mix wine, sugar and cinnamon and bring to a boil, add the pear pieces and simmer until tender, ladling the wine over exposed pear parts to color the surfaces. At the end add ginger and saffron, taste sauce and add vinegar for a sour note.

Serve warm