Pears in Pernod Caramel via Pane e Salute

Thanks to Foodbuzz for including this post in 22 December's Top 9.

Karen and I live a life of food regrets. Foods we wish we had tried, places we wish we had visited. Typically, it’s because we couldn’t afford something (The French Laundry, Per Se) or didn’t know about it. Big Sur Bakery comes to mind. And so does a special restaurant in Woodstock, Vermont.

Several years ago (pre-kids, pre-NYC), we flew to Vermont for a work conference Karen had. We figured since she was headed there in the middle of the Fall foliage season, we’d make a long weekend out of it. So we rented a car, popped in a brand new Claire Holley CD, and headed for the hills and the leaves.

It ended up being the final days of peak foliage, and every view out the car window made us think the whole thing was a bit of a put on. Really, Vermont? Is anywhere this perfect? We kept waiting to see some stagehands moving the scenery, especially when we headed to the Von Trapp Family Resort during which I quietly hummed “So Long, Farewell” because that is what you must do when climbing the hills of the family estate. It’s a requirement.

We knew we wanted to head to the Ben and Jerry’s factory so that Karen could go to their graveyard of retired ice cream flavors to pay her respects to Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough (R.I.P.), but other than that, we had no plans. Just drive, look, and be together. It was late 2001, and being together was what we needed then.

Lots of happy discoveries came along the way. Not too far from B&J’s was an apple cider mill that had a hot cider donut machine right behind the checkout counter. Hot fried donuts. Really, nothing better. So hot they burned our mouths. Perfect.

There was also the Quechee Gorge, a valley of stunning beauty. We were just driving along, saw people hanging their heads over a guard rail looking down. Not knowing what was what, we parked at the gift store on the other side, and walked to join the gapers. Stunning. Also, “Quechee” became a nickname for each other during our trip, getting shortened to “Queech.” Vaguely inappropriate.

And not too far from Quechee was Woodstock, Vermont. A perfect little Vermont town, seemingly created for tourists. It’s almost too perfect, really. It’s the kind of place you dream about opening up a little restaurant and living out your dreams with the Queech of your dreams...and then you find out someone already did that.

Deirdre Heekin and Caleb Barber, we discovered, have a special restaurant there. Once again, we missed out on something wonderful because we didn't know there was something wonderful to be had. So, we bought their cookbook once it was available.

Pane e Salute is the name of their restaurant and of their first cookbook (they have two additional cookbooks).The subtitle of the book is “Food and love in Italy and Vermont.” Having experienced both food and love in the same places, this book spoke to us and our dreams. 

It’s easy to romanticize the outcome of someone's journey, disregarding the effort of the journey itself. So, let’s be easy for a minute. From the first line of the preface, they had us mentally packing our bags and dreaming big:

“The day after we got married, my husband Caleb and I flew on one-way tickets and moved to Italy.”

And so begins the journey and the discovery of wonderful food.

Their book is divided up by season and then by course (antipasti, primi, secondi, contorni, dolci). While every recipe we’ve tried was excellent, the first we made remains our favorite, especially because of the giant leaping flames.

Pears in Pernod Caramel are sexy as hell. A simple caramel with a quick saute of the pear. Then a shot of smooth star anise-flavored Pernod to the pan, a tip toward the flame and then magic. Prep + cooking time = 10 minutes. Simple perfection. And worth a trip back to Woodstock to taste them for the first time all over again.

Recipe | Pere in Caramello al Pernod (Pears in Pernod Caramel) via Pane e Salute by Deirdre Heekin and Caleb Barber

• 1 T butter
• ¼ c heavy cream
• ⅛ c sugar
• 3 ripe but firm Bartlett pears
• ¼ c Pernod
• Mint leaves, sliced thinly

Peel the pears (veggie peeler comes in handy here). Cut the pears in half from stem to bottom. Use a measuring teaspoon to remove the core and the little nobby on the bottom.

Heat a large pan over medium heat. Melt the butter in it. Add the cream and sugar. Stir and cook aggressively for a couple of minutes. It will bubble. Add the pears to the pan so that the cut sides are face down and cook for a few minutes. Remove the pears from the pan and place on your serving plates. 

Now, work carefully. Measure the Pernod into a glass or bowl. Do not add the Pernod directly from the bottle to the pan. Bad things will happen. This is gonna go up in flames quickly. 

Using the Pernod in the glass or bowl, carefully and quickly add the liquor to the pan. If you’re cooking with gas, carefully tip the edge of the pan toward the flame, but be ready. Flames are a comin’. If not using gas, carefully bring a lit match toward the pan. Either way, set the flaming pan down on the stove and let the flames burn themselves out of existence. Then pour the caramel sauce over the pears. Sprinkle the mint around if you have it. Eat.

Comments

[Savory Sweet Living]

My husband and I went to the Trapp Family Lodge years ago for a family birthday celebration...what a lovely place. Amazing shots of the pears, they look perfectly cooked and I could just taste them!

[chris]

Perfectly pleasing pears! Mouthwatering, really.

You post makes me miss living in New England (raised in Boston). Atlanta doesn't get the foliage like up there.

[Urvashee@dessarts]

Wow! Those pears look perfect. Flambee is so much fun...I wish I had the courage to try it in my own kitchen but I have not set fruit on fire since culinary school! Congrats on FB Top 9.

[Gisele aka LA2LAChef]

Great little piece of writing- thanks.

[Maria]

Lovely dessert! Pears are so good right now too! Happy Holidays!