I keep a compote of dried fruits in the refrigerator most of the winter – the combination of fruit can be anything that you prefer, but the apricots melt slightly and the blueberries remain slightly crunchy so I always use those two. It makes an elegant dessert out of ice cream, pound or cheese cake, and it can be added to waffles or pancakes for brunch. When we started making our Tieton Wind, a port style cider, I gave it a try. Wow! It is lovely in this recipe. I made a batch for Valentine’s Day and it was still enjoyable at Easter.
Makes 1 cup
1 cup total of dried sour cherries, dried apricots and dried blueberries
1 bottle of Tieton Wind Cider
1/4 cup honey
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1/2 teaspoon toasted peppercorns
1 – 3″ piece of rosemary
Bring the cider to a boil with all other ingredients. Cook the mixture for approximately 15 minutes – then pour into a glass jar. Serve over pound cake or ice cream. Stored in the refrigerator, the fruit will keep for months.
