There’s an ancient pear tree at the edge of Mama’s driveway. The pears have thick green skin, are very aromatic, and have an intense pear flavor. Most certainly a now-nameless heirloom variety, they appear to be similar to an Anjou or a Bartlett. Remember the canned pears often served with cottage cheese in the school cafeteria? Those are Bartlett pears. Anjou pears are distinctive in that they remain green even when fully ripe. Meme and Dede preserved the pears from the yard in quart containers packed in heavy syrup. Meme served them chilled for dessert and topped with grated Cheddar cheese for “salad.” One of our favorite treats was the deep-fried, half-moon-shaped pies she made with pureed pears and biscuit dough.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 5 pints

　　6 cups sugar

　　6 cups water

　　12 Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, and cored

　　

Step 1

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and the water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the pears and decrease the heat to low. Simmer until the pears are tender and transparent, an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a rack to cool. Cover and let rest overnight in a cool place, up to 24 hours.

　　

Step 2

Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Sterilize five 1-pint canning jars and lids in boiling water, following the manufacturer’s instructions (or see Boiling-Water Canning, page 279). Remove the jars from the water and place upside down to drain on the prepared rack. Remove the lids from the water and dry with a clean towel. Turn the sterilized jars right side up on the rack, using tongs or a kitchen towel to protect your hands. When they are cool enough to handle, dry them with a clean towel. Set aside.

　　

Step 3

Remove the pears from the syrup. Fill the hot jars according to the procedure for Raspberry Jam (page 289), and pour over the hot syrup, leaving 1/4 inch of headroom. Process the jars in a boiling-water canner for 20 minutes. Store the unopened jars at room temperature for up to 1 year. Once the jars are opened, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

　　

variation

Step 4

For refrigerator preserves, skip the boiling-water canner and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.