Apart from apples, pears are one of Ireland’s most bountiful fruits. Wild pears (Pyrus communis) were introduced to Ireland by the Normans, including the popular French Cadillac variety, which has been grown since 1665. According to Fergus Kelly, péire, the Irish word for pear, comes from Norman French or Middle English.
Cider made from pears is called perry, which uses wild yeast to ferment the fruit. Perry was made by the Romans and then introduced to the rest of continental Europe, where it became popular in France, and eventually Ireland.
Spiced Pan-Roasted Pear Cake Recipe
This old-fashioned but really good recipe is from Myrtle Allen’s County House Cooking.
INGREDIENTS
7oz/200g soft brown sugar
4oz/100g unsalted butter, cut in four
6½oz/185g plain flour
9½oz/270g sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
¼ pint/150ml sunflower or vegetable oil
1 pear, coarsely grated
1 tbs freshly grated ginger (or ¼ tsp ground)
4 pears, peeled, cored and cut into 6
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4.
2. Sprinkle brown sugar over an oven-proof pan, dish or tin.
3. Add the butter and melt in oven for about 5 minutes,
4. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt, beat in eggs and oil. Add ginger and grated pear.
5. Remove pan from oven, stir until sugar dissolves, and arrange pear slices over butter.
6. Pour batter over pears and bake until cake is springy to touch and skewer comes out clean.
7. To serve, turn out upside down onto plate.
cleite agus cnámh 