Pears in red syrup

Introduced by Sian, then Christopher did the variation that had various women begging to have children by him in return for seconds. We suspect the difference was whether you measure your rosewater by the drop, the spoon, or the bottle.

Original sources

PD 113, Harl 279.1.10

Wardonys in Syryp
"Take wardonys, an caste on a potte, and boyle hem till they ben tender; than take hem up and pare hem, and kytte hem in to pecys; take ynow of powder of canel, a good quantyte, an caste it on red wyne, an draw it throw a straynour; caste sugare therto, an put it in an erthen pot, an let it boyle; an thanne caste the perys therto, an let boyle togederys, an whan they have boyle a whyle, take pouder of gyngere and caste therto, an a lytil venegre, an a lytil safron; an loke that it be poynount an dowcet."
The English Heritage "Food & Cooking in Medieval Britain" book (Maggie Black) uses a recipe from the Antiquitates Culinariae (1381) that uses mulberries to give the colour (though she doesn't give the original text).
Thomas Dawson, much later, omits the red colour and uses white breadcrumbs and rosewater.

Recipe

Open cans of pears, drain juice (unless it's syrup in which case just use the pear juice) into a pan. Add raspberries, bring to the boil. Stir, squashing raspberries, until you have a puree. Reduce, and taste: add more sugar if needed. (The pear juice was probably sweetened to start with). Add rosewater, cinnamon and ginger to taste: we want it "poynount" but not curry strength. Simmer thoroughly.

Add the pear quarters and heat through gently for as long as possible to allow the spices to infuse throughout the dish.

Optional - Allow to cool.

Can be served hot or cold: but do not keep warm for too long, or the pears will turn to mush.