1. Combine 3 cups water with the honey in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the syrup, and add the pod.

2. Add the fruit, reduce the heat to low, and cook until soft, about 20 minutes, or longer if necessary. When the fruit is tender, remove it with a spoon to a bowl, leaving any pieces that need more cooking to simmer until done.

3. Once all the fruit is cooked, simmer the remaining juices until syrupy and covered with bubbles, after about 5 minutes, then pour them over the fruit.

An Improvised Compote of Dried and Fresh Fruits:

The juxtaposition of dried and fresh fruit makes the compote more interesting. Build on it by adding fruit that have been poached first, such as quince or pears, or fresh fruit, including peeled and sliced Fuyu persimmons or a few sections of blood oranges or Asian pears, or by strewing pomegranate seeds over all.