One of the reasons I love pears so is that they’re abundant when so many other fruits simply aren’t. They’re harvested in the late summer and fall, and thanks to modern storage techniques, they’re plentiful through the winter and spring. I’ve been enjoying sautéed Bosc pears and fresh Anjou pears for weeks on end.
And here’s the bonus: pears aren’t only versatile when they’re fresh, they can be dried, and even better, preserved so that they’re truly a year-round treat! If you’re like me, you may be intimidated by food preserving. There are so many variables at work! It’s scary! You’re working with pressure and perishable foods!
Enter the experts, like Brook Hurst of the lovely blog Learn to Preserve. Call it what you will—canning, preserving, putting up—Brook is a pro. She’s not only creative in the kitchen, she’s inspired by saving every bit of food, from watermelon rinds to, well, the entire pear. “Preserving feels a little bit like magic to me,” she says. Visit her blog now to find recipes from Cinnamon Pear Sauce to homemade bacon!
Thanks to Brook for sharing her recipes with us, too!
Thank you so much for this sweet blog post Brittany. I can’t believe you took the time to write this. Well, I CAN (pun not intended) believe it, because that’s the kind of gal you are, but I am still incredibly flattered to log in and read this.
I DO love pears. Even when I don’t end up preserving them, they are a tasty part of my life. I think I annoyed the poor grocery checker this week. I bought 5 pears, but only one of each type available — d’Anjou, Red d’Anjou, Bartlett, Bosc, and Comice — and he had to enter each pear’s UPC# in separately. My plan was to poach them separately, and compare their flavors, but I ended up eating them raw, in salads and with cheese, before I could get ’em into a poaching pan.
It’s not just me, you know. Many of my friends are enjoying their own love affairs with pears right now. We dream of next Fall, when we are once again able to eat them right off a tree. Until then, I have a pantry with a few more jars full of pear-y goodness. And a little bit of Pear Drinking Vinegar left in a bottle in the fridge.
My only regret? Not being able to devote MORE time to pears. So many things to preserve, so little time. I’ll make a point of posting more pear ideas on my blog soon though.