Autumn brings cooler temperatures, shorter days and a hint of gold to the poplar trees that grow along Calle La Vilina. It's the season for pears and this year's crop includes lovely examples of Williams, D'Anjou, Red, Bartlett, Packham and Bosc. Looking at the range and quality of varieties grown here, it's not surprising that about half the pears imported to North America originated in Argentina.
Williams pears are excellent eaten fresh, and ideal for poaching in spiced wine to make an elegant dessert. They have to be still firm but ripe to retain their shape and texture during cooking, just a little soft at the shoulders when pressed with a fingertip. The pears are peeled and cored with a thin slice cut off the bottom to allow them to stand upright in the pot. A bottle of wine, sugar, lemon zest, herbs and spices are boiled in a stock pot to create the poaching liquid. I use a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme, bay leaves, a cinnamon stick and a vanilla bean to add flavour to the mixture. The pears are simmered over low heat for 20 minutes and removed from the burner to simply soak in the sauce for 15 minutes before placing them aside on a platter. The remaining liquid is then reduced to half its volume to make a thick syrup for drizzling over the poached fruit. By the time the pears are ready to serve, the whole house is filled with most appetizing, spicy scent.
The only rule of thumb for choosing a wine to cook with is that it be of a quality suitable for drinking on its own. I chose Canciller Merlot 2008 for the poaching wine, as its soft, fruity flavour would not overwhelm the delicacy of pears. One might also use a good quality white such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc which would not change the fruit's colour. I was pleased with the rich burgundy that the poached pears acquired; like a crimson silk scarf draped over a grey suit, it added a certain amount of drama to dessert. We paired our pears with the same Merlot that was used for poaching.
A bottle of Canciller Merlot costs 12.99 pesos at Atomo supermarket. The Williams pears sell for 5.99 pesos per kg.
One of the most interesting works of fiction I've read recently is "The Portrait" by Iain Pears an Oxford educated author, journalist and art historian. The book charts stages of friendship, betrayal, bitterness and malevolence in a relationship between an erudite art critic and a talented painter who lives in self-imposed exile on an island off the coast of France. Set in the early 1900s, the backdrop for the novel is the vibrant and competitive art world of London, a milieu dominated by critics who could make or break a career with their reviews. Written in the difficult and restrictive second person, the novel unfolds exclusively from the point of view of the artist at his easel engaged in the task of painting a portrait of the critic. There is no narration of dialogue from the man sitting passively in front of him, but through artist Henry MacAlpine's personal recollections, confessions and accusations, the character of the art critic, William Nasmyth, is gradually revealed. The book's prose reads like a long, explanatory letter written to settle a score. Pears' rigorous style parallels the scrutiny of an artist as he concentrates on the subject at hand; the intense gaze that attempts to capture both physical appearance and psyche. As the work of art draws closer to completion it becomes clear that the painting is used as a conceit in a sinister plot. "The Portrait" is a superbly crafted novel full of insight into the ways in which power can seduce, corrupt and ultimately destroy. Read an excerpt of the text - it's as delicious and satisfying as the fruit described above.
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