Poached Pears In Port

• 1 bottle port (Australian was good)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 star anise
• 4 clovs
• 1 1/2 tbsp shaved ginger
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 Bartlet Pears
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 4 pink peppercorns
• pinch of salt

1. In a saucepan (choose a size that will hold the pears and the liquid will cover them) mix all the ingredients (except pears) and bring to a simmer. The longer this mixture sits the more flavor the marinade will have.
2. Peel and core the pears.
3. Bring the liquid to just a simmer and put the pears in, if they are not covered them turn them every five minutes and poach for 30 minutes.
4. Remove pears and reduce the sauce to a thick syrup (ti's delicious). Or you can store the pears in the sauce for a day if making ahead and then remove and reduce when you need to.

port, sugar, cinnamon sticks, anise, clovs, ginger, vanilla, bartlet pears, orange zest, peppercorns, salt

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/poached-pears-in-port-1254088 (may not work)