Oh, you would hate recipes from the middle ages. Wardons in Syrup. Take wardons, and cast in a pot, and boil them till they are tender; then take them up and p

Oh, you would hate recipes from the middle ages. Wardons in Syrup. Take wardons, and cast in a pot, and boil them till they are tender; then take them up and pare them, and cut them in two pieces; take enough of powder of cinnamon, a good quantity, and cast it in red wine, and draw it through a strainer; cast sugar thereto, and put it [in] an earthenware pot, and let it boil: and then cast the pears thereto, and let boil together, and when they have boiled a while, take powder of ginger and cast thereto, and a little vinegar, and a little saffron; and look that it is poignant and sweet. -- from Harleian MS. 279 - Potage Dyvers, circa 1430 It helps a little to know that Wardens are a variety of pear. The recipe has been recast in modern terms in the book Take A Thousand Eggs and is a nice poached pears in reduced wine syrup.