Spiced Poached Pears in Red Wine

As we settle into the cooler months and shorter days of winter, I spend more time in my kitchen overlooking the sea just as my mother did all those years ago. This is a special realisation for me knowing that her culinary skills and love for delicious home cooked food have been passed down to me.

Spiced Poached Pears in Red Wine
Serves 6

500 mL (2 cups) dry red wine (I used a pinot noir)
250 mL (1 cup) water
50g raw sugar (3 drops liquid stevia or 1-2 Tbs agave may be substituted)
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
2 star anise
2 cinnamon scrolls
1 vanilla bean, cut lengthways (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste)
6 Packham pears, peeled

In a deep pan, combine the wine, water and sugar (or sugar substitute) over medium heat, bring to a simmer and grate the zest from your half lemon into the mixture. Squeeze the lemon, being careful not to drop any pips into the wine, then drop the squeezed lemon half into the wine. Add the star anise, cinnamon and vanilla and simmer for 15-20 minutes, then remove from the heat. In the meantime, peel the Packham pears (say that three times quickly!), they don't have to look perfect, the deep burgundy colour will dress them up, and carefully lower the pears into the wine syrup. Poach the pears over low heat until soft (approximately 10-15 minutes), do not simmer. Turn the pears carefully by the stems one or twice and add more liquid if required to cover the pears as they cook. When cooked, carefully remove the pears and place into a heat proof dish. Reduce the syrup, then pour over the pears and allow to cool. You may serve the pears chilled after soaking in the syrup over night but if you prefer a delicately soft, warm spiced pear then serve immediately with your choice of creamy accompaniment, whether it be vanilla bean custard or orange blossom chantilly cream.

Orange Blossom Chantilly Cream
200mL cream
2 drops of organic, gluten free orange blossom water
1-2 tsp caster sugar (I used raw sugar, which I whizzed until fine and powdery in a cup blender)

Whip all ingredients using an electric beater until light, then dollop a generous spoonful over a spiced poach pear in syrup to serve.

This sweet dessert is best served warm with a with dessert wine or in my case, with traditional chai tea.

As I sit here staring at the misty grey sky and charcoal sea through the glass with my warm bowl of spiced poached pears, I recall memories of my mother teaching me how to combine beautiful ingredients to create delicious meals. Blurry rain drops form curved lines that blend and fall against my window and I am comforted by the feeling that comes from knowing that some of our more treasured family traditions will endure over many seasons throughout my lifetime.

Bella xx

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Dreamy Film Photography

I've been fussing so much about my new lens (and quite rightly so, thank you hubby!) that I have somewhat neglected another little passion of mine that has been building. Film photography.

Journey into film photography

I love the blurry, nostalgic quality of film as it captures moments of life in dreamy frames. I particularly love sepia and black and white tones of film that provide hazy contrast in pictures. Inky blackness and warm light. There's something magical in film photography that I have not encountered with digital.

Do any of you share my little hobby? Do you post your film photos anywhere? Would you like to share them? Do you have the time to plan your pictures more carefully rather than relying on the click-delete-click again versatility of digital cameras?

I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Bella xx

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Cheeky Poached Pears in White Wine with Chocolate Sauce

Leftover white wine can go sour very quickly if you forget about it for a few days, and that is exactly what happened to some sad little bottles in our refrigerator recently. Now, I could have spilled their liquid contents down the sink in several short glugs but I felt they deserved a little more respect than that, so I purchased six small Forelle (Corella) pears to cheer them up. In Australia, Forelle pears are usually picked in March and are available from April until August. They are a gorgeous little pear to sit demurely in your fruit bowl, and add a delicate sweetness to a Summer salad however, they really show-off when you get them a little bit 'drunk'.

Cheeky Poached Pears in White Wine with Chocolate Sauce

3 cups (750ml)white wine
1 cup (250ml)water
100g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
half lemon
6 Forelle (Corella) pears, peeled, halved and cored

200g chocolate
1 Tbs butter
100ml thick cream

Servings: 6

In a large saucepan or pot bring the sugar, wine and water to the boil. Squeeze the lemon over the pot, then drop it into the liquid. Add the vanilla and reduce to a simmer.
Peel, halve and core the Forelle pears. I chose Forelle pears because they are quite small in size and a single serving would consist of two halves, drizzled with the chocolate sauce.
Place the pears into the pot and gently simmer the syrup until the pears soften slightly. For 6 pears, this usually takes about 20-30 minutes, then remove the lemon.
I love how the pears change colour from a soft cream to develop a golden-translucsent caramel hue. At this point, you should remove them from the heat because let's face it, they'd be quite tipsy.

To make the chocolate sauce, simmer water in a saucepan, then remove the pan from the heat and place a bowl with the chocolate over the pan. Allow the chocolate to sit for one minute before stirring with a metal spoon. Add the butter and stir until combined with the chocolate to create a glossy sauce. Slowly pour in the cream, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Can you believe the chocolate sauce is that simple?!

To serve, scoop the pear halves out of the warm syrup with a slotted spoon and place directly into a serving bowl. Drizzle the pear halves with a generous spoonful (or two) of the chocolate sauce and enjoy the dessert with a friend after dinner, or by yourself with a good book in the afternoon.

I enjoyed mine the next day on an unseasonably cool afternoon on my balcony, whilst listening to Flightless Bird. It was a beautiful afternoon and the rested pears tasted even more exquisite the day after I poached them.

For the chocolate sauce I actually used milk chocolate as I had used all of our dark chocolate for the mint chocolate ganache I made a few weeks ago. Though the colour of the sauce was not as rich and deep as the dark brown I had wanted, it did compliment the pears beautifully and softened the 'drunken' syrup flavour from the wine.

Now wasn't that worth saving your white wine?

I will publish my next little post in about an hour or so. I've got a little message to share with you all about a beautiful friend of mine...

Bella xx

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Fall for Autumn

Mmmmmmm I woke up toasty warm this morning, wrapped up under several soft blankets in my huge comfy bed beside my new Malaysian boyfriend. I have to say it was close to perfect except for the fact that I had awoken in the first place to the shrill, chaotic siren that is my alarm. It more closely resembles the fire alarm on a sinking ship than the gentle hum that should gradually stir me from slumber... But that doesn't work for me, ok? I need something so loud and frightening that I have to jump out of bed in one frightening motion, just to catch the heart that has leaped out of my chest in panic because I'm on the Titanic, aren't I?!
No wait, I have to go to work soon, equally as devastating...

I dressed quickly into my hundred layers to prevent the fresh Autumn cold from penetrating my warmth from bed and hurried to the train (seriously not walking to work in this cold!). Whilst standing in the crowded train carriage and wondering why on earth I didn't walk, (I'm so lazy!) I pondered over the fact that I haven't written a blog post in oh I don't know , too long!


So I took my iPhone from my pocket after leaving the train station in Kings Cross, aimed it at the street and took pictures of my walk to work. I decided I'd update with recent events first such as a description of the fabulous dinner cooked by my friend Lily on Monday and the 20 poached pears in red wine sauce I made after work to feed her guests... Like how I also snuck in that sneaky detail about my new Malaysian boyfriend? Ahhh Byron, you are delightful!






Lovely Lily fed her hungry friends with Mediterranean chicken, stuffed green peppers with rice and cheese, moist, stuffed, baked mushrooms artichoke salad and roast potatoes. I'm sure I am forgetting some of the dishes as she had been cooking all afternoon. I think she mentioned there were about 16 people..

B and I arrived late due to the peeling and pre-poaching of the pears. When we left home it was drizzling and cold so dinner sounded very tempting.


Hmmm... what else? The night before last Byron and I indulged in some Wild Turkey Honey Bourbon, rugged up against the rainy night and went to one of our favourite bars in Sydney, the somewhat-difficult-to-find-for-newbies... Shady Pines.


The bartender 'slash' fisherman-looking guy who served us our freshly squeezed apple whiskeys looked like an extra from Moby Dick and the dead animals hanging from the walls were reminiscent of a hunters prized showroom.


It's late now and my eyelids are heavy but just before I head off to bed, here is something special to consider... Today I will bring home a new digital SLR Canon camera... (!!!)



Don't get too excited, this was taken with the iPhone Hipstamatic..

And the other news I have- I will be mourning the anniversary of another year passing me by on Monday but the good news is I am preparing for the birthday party- think day of the dead mixed with my love of food and mexican cuisine, sangria, skeletons and world music!
That's right, I will be celebrating my birthday with my closest friends, decorated as sugar skulls.
How cool is that?
You just wait to see the sexy snaps I take with Mr Canon!



Bella xx

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