Want a completely new kind of mixed fruit juice? Kompot is a Balkan food recipe made by simmering fruits in a lot of water & a little sugar. Sip on this cherry apricot juice variation with a dose of fruit at the bottom of your glass.
This Cherry Apricot Bulgarian Kompot is my first Bulgarian recipe on Cultureatz, very exciting, but kompot recipes are common in most of the Balkan food, Central and Eastern European countries, as well as Central Asia. And no, it has nothing to do with apple compote (a.k.a applesauce). In fact, kompot (or compote drink) is something you drink! It is a sweet beverage that can be served hot or cold.
Balkan cuisine: how to make mix fruit juice the Bulgarian way
To make Compote juice simply simmer your choice of fruit in a lot of water and some sugar, perhaps with a dash of vanilla or cinnamon too. Try it with any berry, cherries, apricots, peaches, apples or rhubarb. I really like how these parts of the world prepare fruit like for example the Hungarian sour cherry soup I once prepared.
Oh, and if you have a heavy hand with the sugar, you can ‘can’ your kompot. It is a great way of preserving summer fruits for the long winter months!
I have to admit, I do not know very much about Bulgaria. But that is part of the fun of exploring recipes from a new country. Your start reading up a bit online and the next thing you know, there is a new destination added to your travel bucket list. Turns out Bulgaria has much to offer a visitor and all year round with seasonal activities.
Life from Scratch
I am writing this post after having read Life From Scratch by Sasha Martin, which was the April/May pick for the Cook the Books Club. It is hosted by a blogger I love to follow, Debra over at Eliot’s Eats. I read the topic of the book really fast. I knew it was written by a food blogger who challenged herself to cook a country a week until she made a recipe from ever place in the world.
Hello! Can this book not be any more for me! I am all about writing about foods from around the world. I was very excited.
And I did know ahead of time that there was an emotional component. The writing process of the author took her down a very emotional path resulting from her less the typical family nucleus upbringing. But honestly, the book was way more about her therapeutic process than about recipes from around the world. As a matter of fact, only 13% of the book is really dedicated to her world cooking blog project. So I was disappointed and I came close to dropping the book.
That is not to say that the book is bad, not at all, it is just not the type of book I would normally read. I read normally historical fiction, lighter food memoirs, the occasional bestseller, or super sarcastic stuff like David Sedaris or Jenny Lawson. If you like very ‘I have survived my traumatic childhood’ emotional books then you will love Life from Scratch. I feel like I am making myself seem like a cold fish here but I am not, I am just not a fan of it in my entertainment.
Balkan food: Summer Time Delight with Kompot
I am an occasional participant in this club, so feel free to join also when you want. Next up for June/July, I am participating again and we are reading Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking. I already read it: historical, political, rough at times, so much food – LOVED IT.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, one book at a time, here is the Balkan food Kompot recipe. This is a super refreshing drink and great for the coming summer. A glass of kompot, with a dose of the fruits in your glass, can totally serve as a light dessert.
You can basically use any seasonal fruit as well so mix it up. Just keep the weight ratio about the same. I first made this recipe with 3/4 cup sugar and it was very sweet. So next time I cut it down to 1/2 cup sugar.
If the kompot color is not colorful enough, you can cheat by adding a drop or two of food coloring – just for looks. It will be our secret 😉
Cherry Apricot Bulgarian Kompot
Ingredients
- 8 cup cold water
- 12 oz whole cherries just the stems removed
- 4 oz dried apricots
- 1/2 c sugar or more
- optional drops of pink/red/fushia food color
Instructions
- Put the water, cherries, apricot and sugar in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over a high heat on the stove top.
- When you have an active boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the cherries have split and the color of the kompot has a ruby hue.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Leave to cool in the pot.
- Poor in glasses, kompot warm or chilled, and make sure to have a few pieces of fruit in each serving. Keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days, or longer but it may ferment and get a touch fizzy and boozy.
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I am glad that you re-post this recipe…it is perfect for the warm weather…indeed great to sip on…all day long.
Have a lovely rest of the week and stay safe!
It’s perfect weather to drink this, even good a bit warm if there is a bit of a chill at night.
Glad you reposted this — good reminder that I still haven’t made kompot. It sounds like good stuff! 🙂
Thank you John, also in hopes of updating this recipe…maybe it will attract warm weather?
Nice! It sounds lovely and looks refreshing. Your photos really make me want to grab the glass 🙂
P.S. Glad to read you loved Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking 😉
Thanks Simona 🙂 It was refreshing…I should make more. And can’t wait for Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking, I should start picking a recipe soon lol.
I am drooling over this recipe–on its own and as a cocktail base–cherry and apricot is such a great pairing of flavors.
I agree that the book was hard to read for the emotional aspects and I wanted more food and blogging about global food but I’m glad I read it. 😉
Thank you so much Deb, and yes just as good with rum I can vouch for that lol. It was quite a read yeah, glad I stuck it out too.
Now doesn’t this look amazing? Looks like an amazing cocktail base!
Thanks Amy and yes, great with rum…tested 😉
Lets see — simmered fruit liquor — nice!
😉 indeed and great for cocktails
This is an interesting way of making a juice. I am intrigued and definitely can try this as soon as I can, I have those ingredients
Oh nice so glad you can give it a go right away, let me know how it turns out Raymond 🙂
Will have to try this with some of our Hawaiian fruits, and the rum of course 🙂 Sounds very refreshing.
Oh that would be delicious with Hawaiian fruits Claudia, let me know how it turns out!
This looks really interesting! Sounds like a great and refreshing drink for the summer!
Thansk Vicky and Buddy. It is super refreshing and great for a cocktail too with a bit od alcohol.
This looks great and I like the sound of the cherries and apricot together.
Thanks Caroline and yes great combo of fruit but would be nice to to explore….like pear!
What a wonderful, fruity drink Evelyne….I think a shot of vodka or rum would do nicely in this. Glad you joined us this month.
Thanks Wendy and by the way you are PSYCHIC…I finished my last glass last night…with rum lol.
This looks super refreshing. I have seen kompot sold in stores. Didn’t realize it could easily be made at home. Yum!
Oh really, if may ask in which country did you see kompot in stores? Yes so easy to make for sure Christina 🙂
That sounds great! It looks bit like sangria. I may have to give it a try.
I so like the way you think Mags, yep just add a bit of wine 🙂
Great dish! Glad you read the book because it inspired this. 🙂 Although it doesn’t sound like my kind of book either.
Thank you John! yeah not my fave read but I got a good recipe out of it 🙂 I look forward to posting on the next book, so good and leaned so much about Russian history. What kind of books do you like John?
This looks really tasty. What a great way to eat cherries!
Thanks so much Gingey and it is so delicious 🙂
Kompot looks delicious. I love that it’s primarily fruit and water. I might have to try making this.
Thanks so much Debra and it is so tasty 🙂 and yes a simple list to make and you can control the sugar.
The compote sounds heavenly! And anything that could be preserved like a jam or jelly also sounds good. Your photos make it look beautiful. Is this a dessert that would be served commonly, or just for special occasions?
Thank you Tami and that is a great question! From what I gathered in the summer it is a common thing, in the winter served warm it seems to be a holiday tradition 🙂
For your FIRST Bulgarian recipe – I have to say, I THINK you nailed it. That being said, I am 100% French so um, yeah, maybe I am not the right judge? lol
YEs thnak you, so glad I nailed it! Hey I am French too, so your judgement is good 😉 BTW do you speak French as well?
**Hides behind a blanket**
I was a stubborn lil kid….. So er. um. no 🙁
Tu devrais avoir HONTE…sorry, I mean SHAME on you 😉
I have never heard of kompot…so interesting and it sure sounds delicious…I am always learning with you Evelyne!
Have a wonderful week ahead 🙂
It is really good, especially for the coming summer. I am sure this one will be new to most 🙂 I have never heard of this before!
This is the first time I’ve heard of kompot. Thanks for the share and the honest review of the book.
My pleasure Tandy, hope you give kompot a try 🙂
Oooh my friends mum used to make compote. It was really good! She used all sorts of fruit but I remember lots of cherries 😀
Oh so cool you have had this before. Indeed any fruit can be used but cherries are a popular crop in that part of the world 🙂
Mmmmm….cherries, apricots and sugar….how can this be bad??? I can think of so many ways to enjoy this kompot!
Oh yes, a drink, a dessert, over ice cream, with yogurt, thickend on a plain cake…on and on lol 😀
I thought the same thing as Angie! Kompot…not compote. 🙂 Anything with sour cherries gets my vote. Just bought a huge bag from the warehouse store that should work great here. I bet this would be good with fresh apricot which I hope to be seeing soon. Thanks for sharing this Evelyne!
I myslef went o compote, everyone will lol. This recipe is fresh cherries but yeas I love sour cherries too, it woul be perfect. Fresh apricots too. Many recipe up raisins instead of dried paricot, the idea is to add a dreid fruit in a quantity that ups the sugar level. But feel free to play around with ratios and fruits for sure. I made mine a lot less sweet than normal.
I thought exactly the same thing about the book before I was able to meet Sasha and hear about her own writing process. Gave me a totally new appreciation of the book. BTW, I cannot wait to get my pre-ordered David Sedaris book—arriving tomorrow!!!!!!
Thanks for participating and I love this Kompot recipe! I’ll alert everyone when the round-up is posted.
Yeah I bet meeting Sasha would give acompletely different perspective. Still gald I read it and thank you for hosting Debra. Ha another Sedaris fan 🙂 Looking forward to the round-up!
I seriously thought it was a compote :-)) This kompot sounds like an interesting way to enjoy summer fruit.
LOl Angie me too when I first read it in the book. I think I prefer kompot oevr compote.