Pears | Gourmandistan

Putting a little snap into scones with pear, ginger and rosemary

May 15, 2014 by Michelle

While we are not entirely captured by the concept of “cream tea,” Gourmandistan does like a scone now and again. But while there are many recipes, most are too sweet, too cake-like or too dry and crumbly for our tastes. After quite a bit of experimentation, we’ve (for now) settled on this version, which we’ve adapted from software engineer-turned-vegetarian-cookbook author Michael Natkin. We enjoyed winy pear flavor spiked with fresh ginger, but added a bit of dried for extra zing plus […]

Categories: Breads & Crackers, Breakfast, Cooking, Food, Muffins & quick breads, Pears, Recipes, Vegetarian

Cold weather can’t stop Salty Caramel Ice Cream with Roasted Pears.

January 25, 2014 by Steve

Perhaps Michelle began thinking of ice cream because Gourmandistan is currently locked in a frozen wasteland, our only connection to the outside world being our rattling, rusty 20-year-old SUV. (And after our last round of snow and sub-freezing temperatures, we may not even have that.) Also, Michelle is usually looking for something sweet. She was browsing through Madeleine Kamman’s In Madeleine’s Kitchen and saw a recipe for “Crème Glacée à la Savoyarde {A Savoie-Inspired Caramel and Pear Ice Cream},” an […]

Categories: Cooking, Dairy, Food, France, Fruit Desserts, Ice cream, Old cookbooks, Pears, Recipes, Vegetarian

Food, Photoshop & Frustration: Chocolate Pear Macaroon

October 5, 2012 by Steve

Making the chocolate pear macaroon dessert wasn’t really that difficult. A few pears, a bit of cocoa powder (Steve would have preferred a bit more cocoa, actually), almonds, an oven, etc. The difficulty comes from Photoshop, a program Michelle has always seen as a time-sucking vortex from which she will never escape. Inspiration for both the dessert and Michelle’s new obsession came from the same place: Roger Stowell of the Food, Photography and France blog. As part of our recent and […]

Categories: Chocolate, Food, France, Fruit Desserts, Pears, Recipes

A somewhat painful endorsement of canned fruit (pear, ginger & walnut muffins)

March 21, 2012 by Steve

Steve has given up on fresh pears and their fickle ripening. The stage between crisp-and-tasteless and mushy-and-black is infinitesimal, and always happens when he isn’t around to enjoy it. While fresh pears have been declared fructus non grata in Gourmandistan, Michelle recently snuck in some canned pears under the guise of “muffin-making supplies.” (Usually vigilant as to the house fruit stores, Steve may have been distracted by the unearthing of a cache of last season’s blueberries in the freezer.) Michelle […]

Categories: Breakfast, Cooking, Food, Muffins & quick breads, Pears, Recipes, Vegetarian