Holiday Recipes

Poached Pear with Avalanche Rooibos

Last week I had success with AvalancheRooibos and Chicken, so I thought I would do something different with pears? The results were marvelous:

In a sauce pan, mix 1 part wine or grape juice to 1 part Avalanche Rooibos. Be sure to use enough liquid to cover your pears completely. Then add 5 cloves and 2 tsp cinnamon.

Remove skin from the pear with a potato peeler. You can either half and core the pears or place the entire pear in the pot. Lower the temperature of to a very light boil and cook the pears for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, test the pear with a fork to make sure it is soft.

Using a slotted spoon, place the pears on the plate and allowed them to cool a bit. Meanwhile, reduce the poaching liquid by allowing to to boil lightly for another 10 minutes.

Serve with French Vanilla ice cream, pouring the reduction sauce overthe entire plate. Delicious!

Note: To decorate better, cook the skinned pear as a whole with the stem. Using a sharp knife, make 5 clean slices from the bottom to so that each slice is halfway to the top of the pear. This will allow you to fan the bottom of the pear onto the plate. Pour the reduction sauce on one-half of the plate, spread the pear out in the center and dust with powdered
sugar. Then serve ice cream on the side.

Stuffed Bird

Consider this: While stuffing your turkey, try adding Lapsang Souchong, the cedar smoked tea from the Fujian province. It will add a complexity of flavor that you will want to repeat again and again. The drippings will make a unique gravy and the smokiness will add curiosity
without overwhelming your food.

Spiced Cider

Instead of your usual mulled cider, try blending one part CranberryFruit Tea with one part apple juice and serve hot. It will add a healthy twist to this beverage.