his healthful dessert doesn't seem like it's going to be any good until about 24 hours after you've made the compote-then it's delicious! The recipe is easy, but you do need to make it a day or two ahead of time. Use the best of season plums to make this, and if you're not sure which ones are good, just ask someone in our produce department.

Ingredients:

• 4 plums, halved, pitted, and sliced into 12 slices each
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup Kinsen plum wine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Melissa's vanilla bean
• 3 fresh mint leaves, slivered
• 2 cups Breyer's light vanilla bean ice cream

Instructions:


1. Combine water, wine, and sugar, in a medium saucepan. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise and use the tip of the knife to scrape the tiny beans into the pot. Add the pod to the pot, too. Heat over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook about 10-15 minutes, until liquid is reduced by a little more than half and has a syrupy thickness. Remove from heat and stir in slivered mint leaves.

2. Add plum slices and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer so that all plum slices are marinating in the syrup. Cover saucepan and refrigerate overnight.

3. Just before you're ready to eat, uncover the saucepan and place it on the stove. Heat over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes, to warm slightly. Scoop 1/2 cup of ice cream into each of four dessert bowls and top with 1/2 cup of warm plum compote.