Ask your produce purveyor to select
Firm yet juicy pears:
Either Conference, Passe-Crassane or Comice, in season.
One per person.

Peel the pears, and
Carefully keep the stems on, as they are very decorative.
Cut the base of the fruit so that they may stand.
Delicately core and remove the seeds, using a vegetable peeler.
Drizzle lemon juice over the pears.

Stand the pears in a pan that will fit them right in height and width,
In order to have just the right amount of water for poaching.
Remove the pears from the pan.
Fill the pan with water and the strained juice of an orange.
Flavor with star anise,
The zest of an orange
(scrub the peel before collecting the zest with a vegetable peeler,)
A pinch of powdered ginger,
A pinch of powdered cardamom… or better still,
One cardamom seed.
Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat, and
Incorporate the pears, standing.
Simmer.

Once the pears are cooked
(this will take a half-hour or so,
perhaps longer, depending on the quality and size of the pears,)
Remove them, delicately, from the pan, and
Stand them on a dish to cool.

Right before serving,
Add “a touch of color:”
Sprinkle the pears with:
Powdered green cardamom,
Grated orange zest, and
Lightly crushed fresh pistachios.