56 THE BOOK OF PEARS AND PLUMS 



Pears Preserved, Red. If in preserving pears it is 

 wished to give a deep pink tinge to the fruit and 

 syrup, use a perfectly bright block-tin saucepan. If 

 this is not convenient, add three or four drops of 

 cochineal to the syrup or a small proportion of Red 

 Currant or Red Gooseberry juice. 



Pears Stewed. Pare, core, and halve eight or ten good- 

 sized pears, leaving on the stalks or not, according to 

 taste ; put them into a tinned saucepan, with 6 ozs. of 

 loaf sugar, 6 cloves, 6 whole allspice, f of a pint of 

 water, and a glassful of port (?). Let them boil as 

 gently as possible until quite soft but not broken. Lift 

 them out, put them on a glass dish, and when the syrup 

 is cold, strain it over them. Some cream or custard 

 added is a great improvement. Time to stew the pears 

 from two-and-a-half to three hours. Probable cost 

 Is. 4d. Sufficient for five or six persons. 



For Compote of Pears, Pears Frosted and Iced, Pears 

 Pickled, and other such receipts, see same dictionary. 



For another method of preserving, see plums. 



To Preserve Pears (from an old author). Pare 

 them very thinly and simmer in a thin syrup ; let 

 them lie a day or two in the syrup. Make the syrup 

 richer, and simmer again, and repeat this process till they 

 are clear ; then drain and dry them in the sun or a cool 

 oven a very little time. They may be kept in syrup, which 

 makes them more moist and rich, and dried as wanted. 

 Jargonelles are said to be the best for this purpose. 



To Bake Pears. These need not be of a fine sort ; 

 but some taste better than others, and often those that 

 are least fit to eat raw are best for baking. Wipe, but 

 do not pare, and lay them on tin plates, and bake in a 

 slow oven. When soft enough to bear pressure, flatten 

 them with a silver spoon. When done thorough, put 

 them on a dish. They should be baked three or four 

 times, and very gently. 



