Lekvar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lekvar or prune butter is a very thick puree of pure fruit, usually prunes or apricots used in filled Kipfels, pastries, and cookies. It is jam-like so that it will not ooze out of the item it is used in. Lekvar is of East European origin, the first use of the term in literature was from before 1350.

The mixture is prepared by cooking the fruit in water until the fruit softens. It is then cooked over the stove with sugar, adding water so that it does not burn. After it is suffiently soft, the mixture is blended up together.

Hungarian lekvár, jam, from Slovak, from Czech lektvar, electuary, from Middle High German lactwarje, latwarge, from Old French leituaire, from Late Latin alactuarium, electuary. (from the American Heritage Dictionary). Alectuary is something that has a drug or medicine in the filling.

Lekvar is a regional food cooked in Lower Vistula Valley in Poland. Several villages organize folk feasts, during which lekvar is being cooked in copper kettles (cauldrons).