Tarte of Cherries
A pie of cherries & port wine - contributed by Judith Carr

Original recipe from Thomas Dawson, The Good Huswifes Jewell:

To make a close Tarte of Cherries. Take out the stones and laye them as whole as you can in a Charger and put in synamon and ginger to them and laye them in a tart whole and close them and let them stand three quarters of an hour in the oven, then take a sirrope of Muscadine and damaske water and sugar and serve it.


Modern recipe:

  • 2 2/3 lb. cherries, pitted & drained
  • 1/4 oz. rose water
  • 1/4 cup ruby port wine
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ginger
  • vinegar (to taste)
  • 3/8 cup finely grated bread crumbs
  • pastry for 2 double crusts
Add rosewater and port to cherries. Add enough sugar to sweeten, but not make it cloy, plus the ginger. Add a little vinegar or lemon juice to sharpen. Cook for 45 minutes or until flavors are mingled. If needed, you may thicken with bread crumbs. Let cool. Fill shells, close, bake at 425º F for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Note: Muscadine was a sweet, flavored, heavy wine "Great, Pleasant and strong", according to Markham's own receipts for it.

Tarte of Cherries is featured in Auld Alliance Royal Feast

Metric, Celsius, & Gas Mark Equivalencies

Judith Carr is an expert in Medieval baking and antique furniture restoration. An active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, she is known for her love of animals, especially cats.

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Tarte of Cherries © 1995 Judith Carr | This page © 2000 James L. Matterer

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