Kompot facts for kids
Traditional Bulgarian kompot
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| Alternative names | Compot |
|---|---|
| Type | Food |
| Place of origin | Europe; primarily Eastern and Balkans |
| Serving temperature | Cold, hot, or room temperature |
| Main ingredients | Various fruit |
| Variations | Uzvar |
Kompot or compote is a sweet drink without alcohol. It's made by cooking fruits like strawberries, apricots, peaches, or apples in a lot of water. People often add sugar or raisins to make it even sweeter. Sometimes, spices such as vanilla or cinnamon are added for extra taste, especially in winter when kompot is usually served warm. You can enjoy kompot hot, cold, or at room temperature. It's a very popular drink in many parts of Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe.
What is Kompot?
Kompot is a traditional drink in many countries across Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, and even parts of the Middle East. Some of these countries include Bulgaria, Armenia, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, and Romania. In Romania, it's called compot.
For a long time, kompot was a popular way to save fruits for the winter. People would cook fruits and store them as kompot, so they could enjoy the taste of fresh fruit even when it wasn't growing season. In 1885, a writer named Lucyna Ćwierczakiewiczowa even wrote in her cookbook that kompot kept fruit so well it seemed fresh! This drink was still very common in the 1970s. It's also popular in Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
However, since the 1980s, fewer people have been making kompot. Today, many people prefer to buy fruit juice, soft drinks, or bottled water instead.
Uzvar: A Similar Drink
Uzvar or vzvar is a drink from Ukraine that is very similar to kompot. It's made from different dried fruits and sometimes berries. Instead of just sugar, uzvar is often sweetened with honey. It's a popular traditional drink in Ukraine.
See also
In Spanish: Kompot (bebida) para niños
