Take Wardons, and cast them in a fair pot. And boil them till they are tender; and take them up, and pare them in two or three. And take powder of Cinnamon, a good quantity, and cast it in good red wine, And cast sugar thereto, and put it in an earthenware pot, And let boil; And then cast the pears thereto, And let them boil together awhile; take powder of ginger, and a little saffron to color it with, And loo that it is poignant/ And also Sweet/.

serves 6

3 pears

½ bottle of sherry, red wine or port

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar

water

1 teaspoon ginger

a pinch of saffron

Make the wine syrup first. Put half a bottle of wine to the saucepan with cinnamon and sugar and cook over a medium heat, until half the liquid has gone. Peel the pears and cook them whole, for 5-10 minutes in boiling water seasoned with sugar, until the pears are almost done. Cut the pears in half and put them in the syrup. Add a little ginger and saffron to the pears and heat.

Comments: I would use red wine or port to the dish. But sherry is not bad either. The dish should taste sweet and sour.

(Take a thousand eggs or more, II Volume, Harleian MS. 4016, c. 1450)