Many moons ago I worked for Radio Devon, based at Seymour Road in Plymouth.  This also happened to be where there was local BBC Network TV, and one of the series of programmes made from there was with Keith Floyd*, a flamboyant and colourful dedicated Francophile. 

I bought a box of pears this week, they're rather nice, but what to do with them, apart from chopped up with morning cereal?  So here's an idea from Keith himself, from his book Floyd on France:


Pears in Red Wine

1 lb pears, peeled, cored and divided into quarters.
1 pint red wine
1 clove
1/2" cinnamon stick

1. Put all ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Discard the clove and cinnamon and enjoy, perhaps with some good-quality ice cream.

*  (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/6206103/Television-chef-Keith-Floyds-favourite-last-recipes-disclosed.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Floyd)

See also my Pear & Gingerbread Pudding (not for those on any sort of slimming diet: http://edvisgardening.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/my-pear-and-gingerbread-pudding-serves.html

Here are more 15 ideas of what do with pears: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/popular-ingredients/pear-recipes-00100000088130/

Pears - and Crumbles

A friend very kindly gave us some pears this week, windfalls - wonderful! But what I have learned is that windfall pears are about 50% likely to be soggy and rotten, so no point in storing them.  
We've been cutting them up and eating them - and have made a lovely crumble, using pears, apples, pineapple and a satsuma. It was a wonderful flavour, not identified as any of the fruits mentioned above - just nice.  
I've also frozen a batch, just to see how they are when defrosted, although I fear they may be discoloured, so might cook them with something colourful to hide this, perhaps blackberries or blackcurrants.

16 September: Today we had a yummy crumble - it was apple with a few raspberries.  It was a Delia Smith recipe but I don't put any sugar with the fruit, that way its slight tartness balances well with the sweet topping of 3 oz butter  - 7 oz flour  - 4 oz sugar rubbed together very gently and spread on top of the chopped raw apple and raspberries.  Then cook and enjoy. Bon Apetite!