6 md Quince
6 c  Water
2 c  Sugar
12    Cloves
18    Whole allspice berries
1 lg Orange peel strip
2 pk Cranberries
1    Cinnamon stick (3" long)
Cranberry juice (optional)
Balsamic vinegar, to taste

CUT EACH QUINCE INTO QUARTERS, then cut quarters into pieces about 1/2-inch
thick. Grasp each piece firmly and cut away peel and core with sharp knife.
When all slices have been cored and peeled, cut each piece into small
chunks. Dont worry about the fruit discoloring. In saucepan, combine
water, sugar, spices and orange peel. Bring mixture to boil, stirring to
dissolve sugar. Add quince. Reduce heat, cover pan and cook very slowly
until fruit has turned a deep pink color, about 2 hours. You dont need to
worry about overcooking as the fruit will hold its texture well. If cooked
slowly, there should still be quite a bit of liquid in pan when fruit is
done. Sort through cranberries, remove those that are not in good shape and
rinse the rest. Add cranberries to cooked quince. If mixture seems too dry,
add a little more water or cranberry juice. Increase heat a little and cook
cranberries until they begin to pop open, 12-to-15 minutes. Use rubber
scraper to gently mix them with quince. When done, refrigerate compote to
cool, then stir in enough vinegar to balance the sweetness.