Categories: Fruits, Desserts 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
      6    Pears                                    Honey 
      1    Lemon                               8 fl White grape juice 
  
  Warden is the old name for the small hard cooking pear that used to grow in 
  many country gardens.  The best way to cook them was slowly with honey and 
  fruit juice to warm and round out their thin colour and flavour, but this 
  recipe works well for dessert pears too. 
   
  Choose a casserole or baking dish with just enough room to lay pears head 
  to tail in  single layer.  Peel the pears thinly, leaving the stalks on, 
  then immediately roll each one in a saucer containing the juice of the 
  lemon.  Put the pears into the dish.  Spoon on scant 4 tablespoons honey 
  and add any lemon juice remaining in the saucer.  Bring the grape juice to 
  simmering point and pour it over the pears.  Cover the dish and bake at 
  325-350 F (160-180 C) gas mark 3-4 until the fruit is beautifully tender. 
  How long this will take varies enormously - 1 hour is enough for semi-ripe 
  dessert pears; 3 hours or more may be needed for pears so hard that they 
  seem to be carved from wood.  Baste the pears frequently as they bake and 
  turn them occasionally to encourage even cooking. 
   
      When the pears are ready, transfer them to a serving dish, standing 
  them upright.  Boil the cooking liquid until it turns syrupy and is reduced 
  by about half.  Stir in an extra tablespoon or two of honey if you think a 
  little more sweetness is desirable but avoid the temptation to make the 
  juices too sweet; the appeal of the dish lies in its fruitiness. Spoon the 
  syrupy glaze over the pears.  Serve warm or cold. 
   
  Source: Philippa Davenport in "Country Living" (British), May 1987. Typed 
  for you by Karen Mintzias