Mark and I usually agree on most things. After almost 20 years, it is kind of amazing.
Where we don't see eye-to-eye, though, is dessert. For him, dessert once or twice a year is an ample sufficiency. Seriously, this is a clinical personality disorder. For me, every meal needs closure with a sweet. Even if only a spoonful of ice cream or a square of chocolate, I need that culinary punctuation mark to finish my dinner.
We are constantly at odds about what I should make for dessert, especially if we are having guests. I want to make something to show that I care, and he tells me that fruit and cheese would be lovely.
I always agree to the fruit and cheese, but I know I will still want something sweet after. For him, it's one or the other; for me, why not both? There are a few desserts on which we can agree. Poaching pears is, without exception, one of them.
We both love them, and they are, in fact, a very elegant finish, especially with cheese.
They are simple to make, can be done a couple of days in advance and chilled, and - a bonus - they are healthy.
When I met Mark, he would poach pears in plain sugar water and serve with a tart-sweet raspberry sauce. These pears, however, were poached in red wine and spiced with lavender, honey, cinnamon, and cloves, and sauced with a reduction of their own poaching liquid. The options are pretty much endless... White wine, honey and rosemary. Port wine, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sake and ginger. Whatever your imagination can come up with.
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| Look what Mark gave me for my birthday! |
Poached pears - a sweet and perfect finale!
~ David
Honey and Lavender Poached Pears
4 small Bosc pears
1 bottle red wine
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon lavender buds
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
Peel and core the pears, leaving the stem end intact.
Bring remaining ingredients to a simmer. Add pears. If there is not enough wine to cover them, add more wine or water. To keep them submerged for even coloring, place a small plate (Markipedia calls it a twiffler) on top of the pears to weigh them down. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until pears are soft and easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. (Cooking times will vary based on the ripeness and size of the fruit.)
Put pears in a glass container and cover with some of the cooking syrup. Cool in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, boil down remaining syrup until it is thickens somewhat. Let cool.
Serve napped with sauce and a garnish of mint. A creamy blue cheese (gorgonzola dolce, for example) makes a wonderful accompaniment, as does a hard nutty cheese.
Serves 4. Labels: cloves, honey, lavender, pears, poached pears, red wine
