Caramel Glazed Pears

• 6 cups fruity white wine, like Riesling (about 1 1/2 bottles)
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 strips lemon rind
• 4 Bosc pears
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• About 1 cup creme fraiche

1. Combine the wine, vanilla bean and lemon rind in a large saucepan.
2. Peel the pears carefully with a vegetable peeler and pull out the blossom end with the tip of the peeler so the pears will be able to stand up.
3. Leave the stem attached.
4. As you peel the pears, drop them in the wine.
5. Bring the wine to simmer and cook the pears until they are tender but not mushy, about 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Remove the pears from the syrup and set them aside.
7. Boil poaching liquid to a fourth of a cup.
8. Stand the pears up on a baking sheet.
9. Fill a shallow pan with cold water for cooling the caramel and set aside.
10. Heat the sugar and one cup of water in a small saucepan without stirring until it turns a deep honey color.
11. Remove the saucepan from the heat and dip the bottom in the pan of cold water to stop the caramel from coloring any further.
12. Pour the hot caramel over each pear, covering it completely.
13. If the caramel hardens while you are working, reheat it.
14. Place a spoonful of poaching liquid on each of four plates.
15. Top with a pear and garnish with a dollop of creme fraiche.

fruity white wine, vanilla bean, lemon rind, pears, sugar, water, creme fraiche

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4128 (may not work)