Pear Sorbet

Pears from Susan's tree  

There is more fruit on one fruiting tree than any one household could reasonable eat before it all goes bad. Pears are a particularly sensitive fruit this way because they seem to ripen all at once within an hour of each other. One minute they are too hard to pick, next they are on their way to going bad. So if you have a pear tree  loaded with fruit - you are on high alert and called to action at a moment's notice!

This basket full came to us from a woman on island who has multiple fruit trees and many other fall ripening vegetables. It's a season of plenty all right. Plenty of planning, canning, drying, chopping and giving away the bounty.

What to do with so many pears that will not live to see the end of the week? Cut 'em up, chuck 'em in the freezer! And then what? I like pears, but I don't love them. What would we actually do with bags full of them?

This is a recipe from Jamie Oliver's cook book Jamie's Italy (p. 276).

3/4 c sugar
1c water
2 1/2lb soft pears (peeled, chopped)
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4c grappa (or to taste) (We used Chartreuse because we didn't have grappa)

Pale gold yumminess - right out of the freezer 

Dissolve the sugar in the water, bring to boil. Then reduce heat, simmer for 3 minutes. Add pears to this, simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat. Add lemon juice. Cool this mix a little and then puree in a food processor or blender (like we did). Sieve the mix (to remove bits of peel or core) into the serving dish you want use. Stir in lemon zest and alcohol to taste. Careful not to add too much alcohol or the sorbet won't freeze. Whisk the sorbet every half hour until it stiffens up to an icy consistency. A sorbet consistency in fact. Serve with a biscuit, garnish with a sprig of mint - or a pear leaf if you have them.

I have not traditionally been a fan of pears, but I have to say - this is the best sorbet I have ever eaten. Ever. The flavour is completely unexpected; a combination of clear pear flavour but then the blending with citrus and a little alcholol edge take it up to a level that puts it safely in my top shelf of favourite recipes.