The best for baking are the large late ones,
commonly called pound pears. Pare them, cut them in half, and take
out the cores. Lay them in a deep white dish, with a thin slip of
fresh lemon-peel in the place from which each core was taken.
Sprinkle them with sugar, and strew some whole cloves or some
powdered cinnamon-among them. Pour into the dish some port wine.
To a dozen large pears you may allow half a pound of sugar, and a
pint of wine. Cover the dish, with a large sheet of brown paper
tied on; set it in a moderate oven, and let them bake till tender
all through which you may ascertain by sticking a broom twig
through them. They will he done in about an hour, or they may
probably require more time; but you must not let them remain long
enough in the oven, to break or fall to pieces. When cool, put
them up in a stone jar. In cold weather they will keep a week.
To bake smaller pears, pare them, but leave on the stems, and do
not core them. Put them into a deep dish with fresh lemon, or
orange-peel; throw on them some brown sugar or molasses; pour in
at the bottom a little water to keep them from burning; and bake
them till tender throughout.