VALENTINE’S
DAY EDITION 2009
BE STILL MY ACHING
HEART…10 MUSTS FOR
VALENTINE’S DAY
1.
Rosé Poached Pears
Recipe from Karen DeMasco
James Beard Award Winner
and Pastry Chef at Locanda
Verde Restaurant , Greenwich
Hotel
(Serves 6)
3 ripe Bartlett or Bosc
pears or 6 seckel pears
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 (750 ml) bottle dry rosé
wine
1/2 vanilla bean, split
lengthwise, seeds scraped
· Peel
and halve the pears.
Scoop out the cores
with a melon baller
or a measuring
spoon. If using
seckel or other
small pears, peel
and remove the core
from the bottom with
a tiny melon baller
or 1/8 teaspoon
measuring spoon.
· In
a large saucepan,
whisk together the
sugar, 1 cup water,
wine, and vanilla
bean and bring to a
boil. Transfer about
one-third of the
poaching liquid to a
metal bowl and set
the bowl into a
larger bowl of ice
water.
· Add
the pears to the
saucepan, cut sides
up, in one layer, in
batches if
necessary, and
reduce to a gentle
simmer. Cut a round
piece of parchment
and cover the
surface of the
poaching liquid.
Simmer until the
pears become
translucent and
tender and a knife
will easily slide
into the pear, about
15 minutes.
As they are done, transfer
the poached pears to the
cooled poaching liquid using
a slotted spoon. When all of
the pears have been poached,
pour the liquid from the pan
over the pears, then let the
mixture cool, adding
additional ice to the ice
bath, if necessary. Pears
can be stored in their
poaching liquid in a covered
container in the
refrigerator for up to 1
week. Serve them cold or at
room temperature with a
little bit of the poaching
liquid.
This is a
really nice recipe for
Valentine's day, the pears
get a rosy hue from the
wine, and they are delicious
on their own or with a scoop
of ice cream or a slice of
pound cake.
I like to use
seckel pears because a
single pear is the perfect
size for one serving, or
bosc pears cut in half for
their elegant shape.
2. Escape
to
Rosewood’s
newly renovated Jumby
Bay Resort in
Antigua—stay for 4
nights, get the 5th
night free. Contact
jody@bearandbear.travel
for details.
3. Wear
Chanel’s ever-so-popular
classic
Coco Red
lipstick—if you can find
it in stock, that is!
4.
Retreat to
Riad
L’Orangeraie
, the sultry 7 room
boutique hotel in the
heart of Marrakech,
Morocco.
5. Ski
the Italian Dolmites
while staying at that
fabulous family-owned
Inn,
Hotel & Spa Rosa Alpina
–they even have a 2 star
Michelin restaurant!
6. Eat
at New York’s gastropub,
The Redhead;
fried chicken never
tasted so good !
7. Book a
weekend at
The Wild Rose Inn,
a fabulous B & B in
Woodstock, NY.
8.. Get
pampered at Elizabeth
Arden’s
Red Door salon;
their couple’s massage
is the perfect
Valentine’s Day gift!
9.. Drink
up at
The Crimson Room
bar at London’s Soho
Hotel…it is too sexy and
chic for words!
10. Dine
at the acclaimed 3 star
Michelin restaurant El
Bulli in
Roses, Spain.
Don’t wait too long
since it will be closing
for 2 years.
Please
contact us for
additional information
on Karen DeMasco,
Locanda Verde Restaurant
or Greenwich Hotel
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jody@bearandbear.travel
or
212-340-0301,
212-340-0305
Toll free:
866-814-4508
