Cinnamon Vanilla Poached Pears - Pears #1

I am beginning to love pears. I used to hate pears.

I never liked western pears. I have always preferred Asian pears that are juicy and very juicy. Western pears seems harder, sometimes astringent and more things that could end up sticking between my teeth. Maybe back in those days, there is only Packham pears available. Yes, those days when fresh lemons were unheard of. It's just calamansi or green limes available should one ever need some citric acid besides oranges.


the pears I used, small packhams

 Lately these few years, more western pears have been brought in, Anjou, Bartlett, Bosc, Crimson, Paradise, and this year I seem to see Forelle pears. And these pears changed my mind. I begin to love pears, especially Anjou pears that are soft and buttery. I no longer feared having another pear, worrying that it's astringent.

After  I made double boiled pears with osmanthus, of which was really nice to eat.. I tried to do it Western style poaching instead. Somehow, I am too stingy to open up a bottle or red wine to do it and was thinking if I could just poach them in spices.

I loved the end result a lot! I let the pears sit in the syrup for a few days and they got sooo infused with the all the flavours, yum yum! After I finished up the pears, I drank the syrup because it smelled sooo good. I mixed it with hot water and it became a warm beverage... absolutely comforting, the smell of vanilla and cinnamon... Ahhhhhh..................

I was so in love with these that I made these again to share with my fellow bloggers at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Swee San made some kick ass pecan ice cream and it paired so well with the poached pears. Haha.. But then again, taste is always a personal matter, what I am in love with may be your poison. And it's poison for my hubby.

Cinnamon Vanilla Poached Pears

Recipe source: WendyinKK

5 small pears (mine weighed about 530gm)
500ml water
100gm sugar
1 vanilla bean that has been scraped before (or just use a ew one)
2 inches cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Combine everything except the pear into a small pot.
2. Peel pears, rinse and put them into the pot immediately. Coat them with the lemon infused mixture.
3. Bring a boil and lower to a simmer for 20-30 minutes, until pears are tender.
4. Fish out the pears and turn heat to high to reduce the syrup to about 1 cup.
5. Keep the pears together with syrup into a deep container and chill. Serve cold or warm