A Nice Pear

This dish was on C4 TV Dinners the other night, so acknowledgments to Hugh Witteringham-Twitteringham, or whatever his name is.

Take a large pear (fnarr, fnarr). In fact, take several. They need to be fairly unripe. Peel, but do not remove the stalk. Cut off but retain the top. Hollow out the bottom, using a melon baller, or something.

Make a paste with ground almonds, butter, sugar, good quality glace cherries and kirsch/brandy/ poire William. Stuff the pears and put tops back on. Wrap individually in foil and bake.

**********The Superfluous Social Comment Bit*************
In the news yesterday was the results of a survey which said that 50% of people claiming to be veggies actually ate meat at some time. It was sponsored by the Danish Bacon Company.

Now I never touch the stuff myself. It doesn’t seem like food, and I am quite happy with Morningstar Streaky Strips (An excellent crispy bacon-esque frozen comestible, available from Tescos. One of those foodstuffs where you daren’t read the label). But it got me thinking. I’m often asked if I’m "allowed" to eat fish/chicken/bacon/prawns/Newkie Brown Ale. Nobody’s stopping me. But I choose to avoid all but the latter. Someone even asked me if I would eat a sea sponge - half way between an animal and a vegetable. I replied "No. Would you?"

Oddly enough, Auberon Waugh said something sensible about it, to the effect of "So what. These people are trying to avoid meat for reasons of their own. Is it anyone’s business if they lapse?" Anyways, presumably you can still call yourself a Catholic if you use a condom. Or a Muslim if you enjoy the odd pint. Or a Labour Party if you have repealed Clause 4.and are trying your damnedest to sever links with Trade Unions. Maybe not.

One more thing: My favourite joke. A Priest and a Rabbi find themselves alone in a compartment during a long railway journey. They get talking, and the subject turns to religion. The priest asks the rabbi "So you’re a Jew, and you’re not allowed pork. But I bet you have the odd bacon sandwich." And the rabbi replies. "I must admit, in my youth I did lapse." So the priest says "And did you like it." And the rabbi says "Aye, it was no bad. A bit salty for my liking. Can’t say I miss it particularly. But tell me - you’re a Catholic priest, and you’re celibate. Do you never lapse?" And the priest replies "Well. I have to admit that I do have my outlets." And the rabbi says "It’s a lot nicer than bacon, isn’t it?"