flipPears in Wine and Honey for the Store
Pears in Wine and Honey for the Store
Why this dish? The orchards of the archbishopric yielded pears that had to be kept out of season. Preserved in wine and honey, they lasted in the cellar and sweetened the table of a prelate shuttling between Reims, Laon, and Senlis.
Firm pears poached in Reims wine with honey and spices, preserved in their syrup. A cellar sweet that defies the seasons.
The orchard gives its pears only for a time, and the wise man stores for the months of scarcity. They are preserved in wine and honey, with a little spice, then kept cool in the cellar. When winter holds Reims under frost and I return chilled from Laon or Senlis, such a pear is a fine consolation. Let foresight, reader, be your companion in all things.
- •Firm pears — a dozen (fruit to preserve)
- •Red or claret wine — to cover (preservation medium)
- •Honey — generously (sweetness and preservation)
- •Cinnamon — one stick (spice)
- •Ginger — a little (spice)
- •Verjuice — a dash (acidity)
Pears in Wine and Honey for the Store
Firm pears poached in Reims wine with honey and spices, preserved in their syrup. A cellar sweet that defies the seasons.
Why this dish? The orchards of the archbishopric yielded pears that had to be kept out of season. Preserved in wine and honey, they lasted in the cellar and sweetened the table of a prelate shuttling between Reims, Laon, and Senlis.
The orchard gives its pears only for a time, and the wise man stores for the months of scarcity. They are preserved in wine and honey, with a little spice, then kept cool in the cellar. When winter holds Reims under frost and I return chilled from Laon or Senlis, such a pear is a fine consolation. Let foresight, reader, be your companion in all things.
Ingredients (period version)
- Firm pears — a dozen (fruit to preserve)
- Red or claret wine — to cover (preservation medium)
- Honey — generously (sweetness and preservation)
- Cinnamon — one stick (spice)
- Ginger — a little (spice)
- Verjuice — a dash (acidity)
Ingredients
- Firm pears (Conference, Comice) — 6 (fruit)
- Light red wine — 50 cl (poaching)
- Honey — 5 tbsp (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (spice)
- Fresh ginger — 2 slices (spice)
- Verjuice (or a dash of mild vinegar) — 1 tbsp (acidity)
Method
- Peel the pears, keeping the stems on.
- Bring the wine, honey, cinnamon, and ginger to a simmer.
- Submerge the pears and poach gently for 25-35 minutes, until tender but whole.
- Remove the pears, reduce the syrup by half, add the verjuice.
- Pack the pears into a sterilized jar, cover with hot syrup, and seal.
- Store in a cool place; serve cold, drizzled with their syrup.
How it was made : Before sugar, honey and the alcohol in wine ensured the preservation of fruit. The cellar of an ecclesiastical household thus kept preserved pears, quinces, and plums, a valuable resource to get through winter and the long Lents.
The contemporary twist : Served warm with a spoonful of fresh cheese beaten with honey, these wine pears become a very current medieval-inspired dessert.
Adalberon of Reims · Charactorium
