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Poached Pears

After ordering poached pears several times, I decided to try to make them myself. I picked up a few pears at the store. I peeled one, split it into two pieces, and cored it.
I boiled it for about 20 minutes in water, sugar, and a little bourbon.
After cooking the pears, I let them cool while I boiled down the syrup a little more. Some whipped cream finished them off. The result was good, but my pears weren't as ripe as they should have been. I tried again with another pear a few days later and the result was much softer. This dish works well with several poaching fluids: straight syrup, syrup with wine. Its simplicity adds to its elegance. And it doesn't take a lot of effort.
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