Pluma moos (dried fruit soup)

Pluma moos is a Mennonite fruit soup or compote often served as a side dish for ham at Easter and Christmas. Since the late 1800s, when their ancestors brought the dish over from Europe, cooks in south central Kansas have adapted it to their tastes. Inspired by those cooks and recipes in “From Pluma Moos to Pie,” a community cookbook from the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum in Goessel, Kan., this version resembles cranberry sauce when made with water and custard when made with cream. In Hillsboro, Kan., Carol Abrahams uses dried cranberries instead of the traditional raisins and adds dried apricots. Karen Ediger of North Newton, Kan., spices it like mulled wine, with cinnamon, allspice, cloves and star anise. Total Time: 1 hour