Anglo-Saxons used honey to preserve fruit. This `recipe' would ensure that well to do Anglo-Saxons, who owned pottery, could stored the plentiful summer fruit to be eaten in the winter and spring. There is no archaeological evidence that cherries were grown as far North as York around 1000AD. Damask plum pits have been found at York excavations. Cherry trees were well known in Southern England, and there was a good chance that some cherry trees were up North, especially in wind protected areas.
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole or dried cherries, the tarter the better
- honey
Instructions
- If the cherries are whole, wash and remove the stems
- Examine whole cherries for holes or rips in the skin. If skin is damaged, eat cherry immediately
- In pottery or glass container having a wide opening with a lid, lay a thin layer of honey on bottom
- Place a layer of cherries on top of honey
- Pour just enough honey to replace air around cherries
- Continue alternating cherries and honey until all cherries are in pottery with cherries completely covered in honey
Notes
- Using dried fruit instead of whole fruit has the advantage of allowing pressure to be placed on the fruit to ensure no air pockets remain under them. Also, less honey would be needed to store the same amount of fruit energy, flavor, and nutrition.
- Dried cherries in honey makes a great addition to oatmeal.