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I've got some pears...not loads but the fruit bowl is overflowing right now.

Anyone ever preserved them in syrup or similar?

I've made pickled pears, which go beautifully with pork or cheese. I'll have a look for the recipe.

I do. I drop the quarters into sterilised jars and pour over hot sugar syrup, cover and waterbath for half an hour. They're lovely.

We used to do loads every year when I was a kid. Depends on the variety of pear whether it's worth it. And I would go easy on the sugar...

Sorry I couldn't find mine - it's been a long time since I had that many pears.

I had thought that it was a Mrs Beeton recipe, but apparently not. My mothers other culinary "bible" was the Cordon Bleu magazine series and as she has been the source of most of my pickling recipes this is probably something very like it. While I was looking for this I found loads of other, similar recipes with other herbs and spices. So you could probably play with those to see what you like

4 pounds of under-ripe pears
1 pint of white wine vinegar
1.75 pounds of sugar
One small stick of Cinnamon
About 6 cloves

Put the vinegar, sugar and herbs into a stainless steel pan and bring to the boil,slowly, stirring regularly to completely dissolve the sugar
While the syrup is cooking, peel and quarter the pears and remove the cores
Add the pears to the pan and simmer until they are soft and translucent
Remove the pears from the syrup and pack into sterilised, warm jars
(You can discard the spices or leave them in, your choice)
Reduce the vinegar syrup, gently, until it thickens a bit (don't burn it!)
Let it cool for a while, then pour it into the jars to cover the pears
Cover with tight-fitting lids (you might need wax paper if the lids aren't vinegar proof)
Needs to mature for 4-6weeks before eating

All sounds good. I'll give it a go!

Thanks

Even better you could add yeast and enough water to make a gallon and you'd get pear wine

6 Medium pears.
1 1/2 lbs (yes) coarse sea salt.
8ozs sugar.
2Tablespoons unsalted butter,in small chunks
Shed loads double cream.

1)Boiling hot oven,cover pears with salt,just the stalks sticking out.Bake for 60/70 mins,'till tender(prick with fork to ensure they're tender.)
2)Heat sugar with 2 tablespoons of water,add butter and cream to make caramel sauce.
3)Brush 99% salt off the pears,just leave a tiny tad on the skins.
4)Cover pears with sauce,,tell everyone they're awful,so you don't have to share.
5)Consider suicide,'cos you'll NEVER eat anything better.

That sounds very interesting, OJ. I presume you can still use the salt for other purposes afterwards, yes?

You can.But you'll never want to eat anything else anyway,ever.