Fresh Peach or Pear Halves in Red Wine
From:	Marie-Thé, Quebec, Canada
Comments:	Use the same quantity of arrowroot flour as you would cornstarch; arrowroot gives a real transparency to the syrup. If peach or pear halves are not to be served within 24 hours, they should be refrigerated; to serve, remove fruits from the refrigerator long enough for them to warm-up to room temperature before serving.
Servings:	1 peach or pear half per serving
Ingredients	Preparation
8 to 10 fresh peaches and/or pears Boiling water Table red wine Water Approximately 1 1/2 pounds [680 g] sugar 1-inch [2,5-cm] long cinnamon stick [optional] Few drops pure vanilla Arrowroot diluted with water	Arrange whole peaches and/or pears into a large casserole; cover with boiling water. Remove from water, peel and half peaches, throw away stones; peel, half and core pears. Arrange fruit halves into a large bowl; pour in enough of a mixture of half water and half red wine to cover fruit halves. Add sugar, more or less depending on taste and the quantity of liquid, cinnamon stick [do not use ground cinnamon] and a few drops pure vanilla. Bring to a boil and leave to boil to completely melt the sugar. Lower heat and cook until peach and/or pear halves are just tender, yet not overcooked [fruits must stay firm]. Using a spatula, remove and delicately transfer fruits into a fine china or stainless steel container. Thicken syrup with already diluted with water arrowroot [syrup should be light and creamy, neither too thick nor too thin]. Pour hot syrup all over fruit halves; leave to macerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, at room temperature.