Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Small Measure Can-Do Contest, Round 6

It's the beginning of a new month, folks, which means that it's already time again for another Small Measure Giveaway! For those of you new to the contest, or to this blog, I'm staging a giveaway each month from now until the release of my book, Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English. Each month one lucky person will win an artfully crafted canned item featured in the book and made by yours truly. 

From my pantry to yours, this month I'll be giving away a jar of Spiced Pear Chutney. Right up there with Cardamom Apple Butter, this is one of my absolute favorite things to nibble on. It's applications seemingly endless (added to sandwiches, served alongside baked sweet potatoes, paired with hot naan and a zippy dal-it doesn't end), I somehow always end up spreading a bit of this chutney onto a wheat cracker and topping it off with a little knob of sharp cheddar. It's the perfect afternoon snack, or easy holiday appetizer (I speak from experience, on both accounts-guests LOVE it, and, of course, so do I!). Picked at their peak and slowed cooked with onion, garlic, crystallized ginger, raisins, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices, this chutney is about as redolent of autumn as you could imagine! 

To enter: Simply leave a comment to THIS specific post by telling me your favorite way of cooking or serving pears. Your comment MUST link to your particular blog or web site (and therefore to your contact information) or include your e-mail address. Otherwise, I won't be able to get in touch with you if you win! Any entries that do not include some way of getting in touch will be disqualified. 

Deadline: Comments must be received by midnight EST December 15th, 2009. Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received. 

Other rules:
1. You must have a mailing address in the United States of America (sorry international folks!).
2. Only one entry comment per person. 

How it works: Each comment will be assigned a sequential number. The winning number will be selected from a random number generator, so there'll be no favorites, simply a game of chance. 

Keep coming back each month to see what new tasty item is up for grabs! 

46 comments:

keri said...

This looks incredible! I'm a glutton when it comes to pears poached in Riesling and topped with a cardamom whipped cream.

DarcC said...

I love to drink pear nectar, but if that doesn't count I love pear crisp too.

megan said...

It's a toss up between fresh pear juice and a warm pear crumble, mostly dependent on how cold it is outside.

When I was young a certain elderly relative used to serve canned pears in syrup topped with a huge dollop of miracle whip and covered with grated Velveeta...I still have nightmares.

-Megan

Cat W. said...

I discovered a fantastic Rustic Pear Pie on TheKitchn.com a few months ago. It has pear slices in the middle and a great custard over everything, and it's so easy. I love it!

Stephanie said...

I am embarrassed to say, I don't know of any ways to cook pears- they never last long enough for me to worry about that! Fresh and juicy is all I need! Stephanieschilling@gmail.com

Stephferney@hotmail.com said...

Pears poached in cranberry juice, then the juice reduced down to a syrup with a little extra brown sugar, then dolloped with some Greek yogurt. YUM!

Unknown said...

I love pears simmered with a little ginger. 'Das eet!

sk said...

YUM! Sounds delicious.
My favorite pear recipe is one that I make quite often in the fall-- pear pie! It's a family favorite:

ingredients:
-your favorite pie crust (1 9" crust)
-5 cups of peeled pears-- i've used regular store-bought pears, as well as the hard "sand pears" that grow around here-- both work fine.
-1/4 cup butter, room temp
-3/4 cup sugar (may need more or less, depending on sweetness of pears)
-4 tablespoons of flour
-1 tsp vanilla
-2 eggs

to make:
Arrange pear slices in pie shell. Make custard by combining well the butter, flour and sugar, then mixing in the eggs and vanilla. Pour over pears. Bake at 325 until nicely browned on top and firm(ish).

sk said...

That's easy-- pear pie! You need 1 9" pie crust, in which you arrange about 5 cups of sliced, peeled pears (any kind works-- regular, sand, asian...). Then make a custard by combining well 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 4 tablespoons of flour, and then adding in 1 tsp vanilla, and 2 eggs. Pour custard over the pears and bake at 325 until done (nicely browned and not jiggly). YUM!!!

Maria said...

Mmmmm, pears!!
I love them straight off the tree, warmed from the sun!

What about baked with a little honey, brie, nuts and cranberries??? Mmmmm!

Renai said...

Lets try that again! Fresh, warm pear sauce, or fresh pears that are still crisp, sliced up with rosemary asiago. YUM!

Carlin Reagan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alicia-Marie said...

This sounds incredible :)!!! I love pears straight off the tree, as well as pear-apple crisp.

Jane said...

I canned pears in a cinnamon syrup. It's good. Yours sound fabulous!

Anonymous said...

I have to say Red Anjou pears top my list; peel in stripes, set upright in individual baking dishes, slather with white wine, bake & serve with frothed cream. It's the deep maroon color that is so wonderful and it remains bright.

Stephanie said...

Pears and crumbled blue cheese! Or gorgonzola. So delicious.

Darla said...

i love slices of fresh pears sprinkled with a little bit of cayenne...delish!

tigress said...

ok, i think i'll try to win too! :)

i make a pear, dried fig and star anise pie that has actually made people swoon. (ok they may be easily swoonable people, but, i think it is quite good!)

EcoGrrl said...

Yumm, that sounds tasty. This year I volunteered with Portland Fruit Tree Project and got 25 lbs (they split half the proceeds between the pickers and the food bank) of pears to play with. While I like the preserves I'd made and of course canning pears in white grape juice, my favorite is actually pear pie - made just like apple pie except with no sugar and cardamom/nutmeg/cinnamon for spice. YUM. such a nice alternative to the apple pie!

Unknown said...

A couple times a year, especially at Christmas, my dad ships me Royal Riviera (aka. Comice) pears. As advertised: So juicy you eat them with a spoon! Exactly what I did for breakfast this morning :)

Jennie said...

Keep it simple I say. Pear crisp with vanilla ice cream. Maybe a little ginger to liven things up.

Danielle said...

I prefer my pears plain and picked right off a tree. :)

Although after reading other comments, I'll have to get more creative... :)

lividee said...

i love stewing pears in simple syrup spiked with cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, and star anise until soft and served with homemade maple ice cream.

Beth said...

My whole family (3 year old included!) loves this pear bread that I make. It's not only delicious, it's healthy!

http://remarkablydomestic.com/2009/11/16/pearadise-bread/

bpcallaghan {AT} gmail {DOT} com

. said...

yummm how autumnal! honestly, i just love a nice crisp pear all by its lonesome. however, if i'm feeling adventurous, a crumble comes next.

Anonymous said...

I just may enter this month!
It all sounds so good.

Carla said...

Mmmmmm... I think I love a fresh, ripe Bosc eaten out of hand. Couldn't be simpler. Who needs a recipe when they taste like that right off the tree?

Jennie said...

Keep it simple I say. Pear crisp with vanilla ice cream. Maybe a little ginger to liven things up.

Thanks!

jenmorlopez (at) gmail (dot) com
www.foodandbooksandstuff.blogspot.com

jennifer said...

This may seem like a cop-out since you just gave away Apple Cardamom Butter, but the first thing that comes to mind when I hear pears is a recipe for Pear Cardamom Butter that I've used with amazing success for two years. I found it out of necessity when we inherited a very productive pear tree.

http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2008/10/25/the-year-of-jam.html

jessica said...

pears and cottage cheese! I would like to roast pears as I imagine that would be delicious, but I've yet to get around to that

Jessica

jess.luna@gmail.com

Christine said...

Pears cut up in a salad with red leaf boston lettuce, walnuts, and fig balsamic vinegar dressing!

Heather said...

Cut up on a salad with blue cheese! Yum.

MaddyG said...

All of these pear ideas sound so fabulous! I like to bake pears...cut off the ends so they stand up in the baking pan (with the stems poking up)...and then serve with Amaretto-Caramel sauce drizzled on top. Looks fancy shmancy but is super easy and delicious.

steph said...

Every year around the holidays I infuse vodka with something different in mason jars and give as gifts to friends. Last year I infused bosc pears in grey goose and it was a huge hit. The vodka preserves the fruit while it's aging and takes about a month to infuse. This year I'm infusing jalepeno peppers and vodka. Thanks for letting me share this holiday tradiditon...cheers! (sburton8a@gmail.com)

Anonymous said...

Pears never last long enough in my household to get cooked! We eat them cut up in salad, with crumbled up cheese (e.g. blue cheese) or just plain in slices. Yum!

--BarbS
bhshoham [at] yahoo [dot] com

Erica said...

I love poached pears!

Julia said...

Yes, I will have pears all of these ways, thank you very much!

Betsy D. said...

I love pear crisp and pear, walnut and gorgonzola cheese salad with some good bread. Yum! betsymarsh(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

My family makes a mean "Papple Crumble Pie". Basically an apple crumble pie with pears substituted for half the amount of apples. Gives the pie more complexity and sweetness.

Serve warm with cinnamon ice cream.

Mmmmmmm......

Andrea said...

I've tried a few chutneys, but they never seem to come out quite right. They're still decent, but they aren't of the heavenly quality that chutneys deserve to be. Fortunately, my apple-pear butter earlier this year turned out quite nicely, and having some of that slathered over pear or apple pancakes (using the apple pancake recipe from Smitten Kitchen as the inspiration) with maple syrup drizzled over them is wonderful!

Linda's Kitchen said...

I just love eating pears! I have made pear crisp...just like apple crisp but not cooked at long.

Kristin Marsh Shepard said...

A fresh ripe Bartlett pear is so common and basic, but perfectly delicious I think! Served with fine cheese and crackers makes it even better.

KristinLmarsh@gmail.com

Bonnie Van Voorst said...

Warm with a little brie! Now all I want is pears and brie...

Jennifer said...

I love chutneys, especially when paired with cheese and layered on homemade crusty bread (and served with a thermos of Lapsang).

As to my favorite recipe, it would have to be cardamom pear sorbet.

http://esculency.wordpress.com/

Anonymous said...

MY favorite use for pears has always been as 1/3 of the fruit in my 3-tree cobbler (with apples and peaches)!

catman125@yahoo.com

kaela said...

I have a great gingered pear jam recipe that's always a hit. Somehow, I never seem to have a windfall of pears, always the occasional pear here or there, so it's more likely that they get throw into a mixed fruit chutney, pie filling, or BBQ sauce.