Red Fruit Compote

Ingredients: 1 cup sugar, 1 1/4 cups water, 1 lb bing cherries, pitted, grated rind and juice of 1/2 orange, 1 pint strawberries, 1 pint blackberries, 1 pint raspberries, 1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot, 2 tablespoons port

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and cook gently, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat, bring to a boil and boil for a few minutes. Add the cherries and orange rind, simmer for 5 minutes, until soft.
Remove the cherries from the syrup with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish. Add the remaining fruit to the syrup and bring to a boil.Blend the arrowroot with the orange juice and stir into the boiling syrup. Boil, stirring until thickened. Add the port , pour the syrup over the fruit.Cool before serving. 8 Servings