Eastern European fruit drink (Kompot)

1. Wash the apples, core them and cut into wedges with the skin on; stone and halve the plums, and stone the sour cherries (frozen are fine).

2. Bring the water to the boil with the sugar in a large pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

3. Add the apples and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the plums and cherries, bring back to the boil, then simmer gently for another 5 minutes – the fruit shouldn't fall apart.

5. Take off the heat, cover and let it cool completely; meanwhile the fruit releases its colour and flavour. Chill well in the fridge.

6. Serve ice-cold in a big jug with the pieces of fruit (in winter it's lovely lukewarm too).

Tip: In Polish, Russian and Ukrainian families every summer lunch comes with kompot – it's a drink, and the cooked fruit is eaten at the end; it can be made from any seasonal fruit (currants, gooseberries, sweet cherries, dried fruit).