European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 25, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Living today fruits of summer comfortable compotes by Sharon Hudgins special to stripes Magazine i had just finished the main course of a reasonably Good meal at a harming old hotel near Lake Horid in when i looked at the menu again to choose a i was surprised by the similarity of offerings six types of compotes and nothing since compotes made me think of stewed prunes arid Hospital i decided to skip dessert a Short time it occurred to me Why compotes were usually the featured sweets and often the Only ones on menus in that part of the after i was in the Region of surely the ancestral Home of the French term for those mixed fruit combinations also known As at the next i ate a Macedoine on its Home turf found the dessert to be an appropriate ending for a heavy yugoslav according to the larousse the French apply the term Macedoine to several different kinds of a Macedoine de fruits refers to a mixture of chopped fruits and heavy sugar whereas a Macedoine do legumes consists of mixed vegetables raw or tossed with or Oiland vinegar and served warm or this latter Type can also be folded in outside of France or apart from classic French its the mixed fruit dish that most people mean when they use the word so whats a compote according to larousse a compote is a dish of fresh or dried which Lias been cooked in a sugar syrup sometimes with Vanilla or spices and is usually served the term is also applied to certain Pigeon and Partridge dishes that have been cooked for a Long time but we wont go into simple compotes consist of one Type of fruit cooked in whereas compotes composers Are Macd incs of various cooked and served in the same Way As simple if you use More than one your dish is a never mind the macedonians who Call All these desserts regardless of How Many fruits Are fruit maced incs can be cooked or uncooked made from or dried fruits and served or at room uncooked maced incs Are the simplest to make fresh fruit pieces Are tossed with Lemon juice and sugar and sometimes liquors in a Large then refrigerated for several hours before most cooked maced incs require that you make a sugar water syrup in which to poach the fruit the fruit is then served with the sugar syrup poured Over you can also put the fruit into a shallow baking Sprinkle sugar and liquor Over the and bake the mixture until the fruit is whatever method you the resulting Macedoine can be served or with a Garnish of what makes one Macedoine different from another of the fruits you choose to put but the possibilities for variety dont end you can add chopped nuts or chopped preserved both uncooked and cooked Macedoine can be Flavoured with All sorts of and the sugar syrup for the cooked versions can additionally be Flavoured with Lemon or Orange Spring and summer Are the Best times to make uncooked Mac Doines when so Many luscious fruits and berries Are in one of the Best maced incs i Ever ate was at at a Small Trattoria near san the dessert was simplicity itself a combination of chopped peeled sliced and whole macerated in Sambucco Anise Flavoured i encountered another excellent Macedoine at an restaurant on the Way to Venice Small Black Large red currants and Large lightly tossed with sugar just the thing to eat after a huge serving of Ravioli with Cream i tend to think of cooked Macedoine especially those with heavy sugar syrups and redolent of spices As autumn and Winter these Are the seasons when Cooks have traditionally made their Macedoine from dried fruits and perhaps with apples included for and dried or candied Orange or Lemon Peel for additional cooked compotes made from dried fruits Are sometimes also served As accompaniments to roasted or instead of writing out one or two recipes for specific i prefer to Tell you the Basic rules for making both cooked and uncooked Macedoine which you can then adapt to the ingredients available and the flavor combinations of your my husband Calls the following a generic use it As a Doit yourself guide to developing your own personal recipes for fruit fruit Macedoine general instructions 1 choose at least three different fruits preferably More which contrast in and a Macedoine should be As pleasing to the Eye As it is to the you will need approximately 1 cup of fruit measured after peeling and chopping for each thus it will take a total of 6 cups of prepared fruit to serve 6 suggested fresh fruits apples chopped apricots halved or sliced avocados do not use in cooked bananas sliced crosswise blackberries whole blueberries whole cherries pitted cranberries cooked until they pop open red or Black whole figs halved or coarsely chopped gooseberries poached Grapefruit Cut into sections Green or White seedless Melon balls nectarines coarsely chopped oranges Cut into sections peaches sliced pears halved or coarsely chopped pineapple Cut into chunks plums halved pomegranate seeds quince must be cooked tangerines divided into sections note As soon As you have peeled and sliced or chopped the Sprinkle Lemon juice Over it and toss to prevent the fruit from you can also add Lemon juice to berries and citric to enhance their suggested dried fruits with the exception of raisins and these should be soaked in cold water for several hours to plump them before dried fruits Are used primarily in cooked Frozen fruits May be thaw them before combining them with the other if the 4 stripes Magazine july