Jan 18, 2017 Right now especially, I can’t seem to warm up. Every other week (if we’re lucky) one of the kids brings home a bug from the play gym/library play area/preschool. Sometimes we don’t even get a week between them. Sometimes I manage to escape without catching it, but I think I do get a touch of most viruses they get. At least I get the tired and chilly bit. I bought a flat of pears at Costco the other day because they were at peak ripeness (which is rarely the case at a warehouse store). I knew at least I could bake with them if I couldn’t convince myself to grab them as snacks. I love cooked pears and have sweet memories of eating them from a can at my grandma’s house when I was a kid. They take on a custardy texture and theƒ sticky syrup is the stuff dreams are made of. I decided a crumble was what I needed to get me through the rainy, damp, chill-to-the-bone week. I thought cinnamon would totally take over the flavour, so I went with vanilla instead. One of my favourite simple desserts is vanilla bean-poached pears with vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate sauce. I had them at a restaurant once and fell in love. They’re heavenly. (I should make them for you!) Vanilla complements pear deliciously. I served the crumble with a simple custard sauce because I didn’t have ice cream, and I’m trying to use what I have rather than bringing more home constantly. And for breakfast the next day, I rewarmed it gently in the microwave and served it with cold milk. It’s something my mom did for us with apple crisp when we were kids and it is like a warm hug. I adore it. And if you want something similar that’s more actual breakfast than pie-for-breakfast, Warm Vanilla Sugar’s Maple, Apple & Pear Baked Oatmeal looks divine – a breakfast that would definitely chase away the chills.
