The French invented compote believing that fruit cooked in sugar syrup balanced the effects of humidity on the body. The name is derived from the French word compote, meaning mixture. Compote was originally served as an afternoon snack with sour cream and biscuits. During the Renaissance, it was served chilled at the end of dinner. Kompot – made from the juice and syrup rather than the flesh[citation needed] – remains a popular drink made from homegrown fruit such as rhubarb, plum, sour cherry or gooseberries in Poland.
Compote may have been a descendant of a Byzantine dessert.
Because it was easy to prepare, made from inexpensive ingredients and contained no dairy products, compote became a staple of Jewish households throughout Europe and was considered part of Jewish cuisine.