So tonight I start canning the tons of pears on my counter. I had to giggle
when I layed them all out on the table to start with the most ripe ones
first. They are spread all over the table and I could just imagine my friend
Heidi's kids asking me if I had robbed a pear store. As they believed I had
robbed an apple store a few months ago when the table was covered with
apples.

So now I am trying to decide on recipes.
First my friend Jan sent me the link for pineapple pear jam. The
recommendation was made to me because the review she received when she made
it was "it was the best ever tasted". I have found that a lot of recipes
call for canning pears with pineapple juice or something of the like. I find
this interesting. I would never normally put these two together, but I can
imagine the flavors melding together.

And then I was thinking about trying pearsauce, but will do that last I
think. variation of apple sauce.

Brandied Pears, although one book I have says to can pears with crème de
menthe. So that is an option. However, I don't have crème de menthe in the
cupboard, but I have seen a bottle of brandy that I don't know where it came
from so we'll use that up. (Not the whole bottle yikes!!)

Also, I found some pear recipes I had never seen before and thought hmmm. I
am looking for variety in my canning. One was a Peppery Pear Salsa for a
condiment use on chicken and other items and another was for a pear chutney.
Also a good accompaniment to chicken, but pork chops also.

I am addicted to my canning books, but I really like the smaller batch
versions. Since I like to do a little in the evening when I am cooking
dinner or my boys are watching a movie.. probably star wars. So if you have
a book you really like for canning. I would love to check it out. And really
I check them out from the library and see if it is one I can't live without.
I have two I sent back right away. Totally boring recipes. I saw one listed
as contemporary canning with rave reviews because of its uniqueness, but it
isn't a library book yet. So maybe in the future.

I must admit pears are not the first fruit I pick up in the store. I wonder
why I have a table covered in them at the present. It will probably take me
through the weekend to get them all processed. But really the positive
feeling I get after I can and look at the pretty jars I have filled with
goodies makes my chest swell in pride. I hope you have that thing in your
life that makes your chest swell in pride…. I just love my life..

Enjoy!
Chris