Instructions: In a medium saucepan combine brown sugar and water. Cook and stir over medium low heat til sugar is dissolved. Cool. In a 4 quart, tall, nonmetal crock or jar, combine pears, nectarines, grapes and pineapple. Pour cooled syrup mixture over fruit. Add enough rum to cover fruit; stir gently.

Store, covered, in a cool place overnight. Place in the refrigerator and store, covered, for up to 4 months, stirring occasionally and using portions as desired.* Let Rumtopf stand for 30 mins at room temp before serving; return remainder to refrigerator.

Makes about 3 quarts mixture.

*Note: To replenish the Rumtopf after serving part of it, you may add 2 cups chopped fruit (any combination of above fruits) and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar to replace every 2 cups of fruit and syrup removed (the top layer of fruit may darken during the storage period). Stor Rumtopf, covered, in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temp for 30 mins before serving.

s/Better Homes & Gardens

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.