Our daughter, Charlotte [25], began making fruit compôte to sell when she was bored one summer.

Bramley apples work well in pies, cooked fruit compotes and salads, crumbles, and other dessert dishes.

Today the shop, with its elaborately decorated ceiling, left, is privately owned and also sells fragrances, teas, honeys and jamlike fruit compotes.

The honeys, some limpid and some thick and creamy, are mostly $16.50 for 8 ounces; the fruit compotes are $18 for 12 ounces.

To finish the meal, a glorious ruby-red fruit compote is is equally good hot, cold or warm.

The fruits of the Cavendish bananas are eaten raw, used in baking, fruit salads, fruit compotes, and to complement foods.

The first was a Czech palacsintak, or crepe, wrapped around two fruit compotes, apricot and prune.

It is usually sprinkled with powdered sugar, then served hot with apple or plum sauce or various fruit compotes.

Dates work well in fruit compotes, salads, and desserts.

If all this is not glorious enough, a fruit compote can also be added.