Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers … but how about Pickled Pears?

By: Debby Page-Nelson 

Do you remember the good ol’ days when grandma used to can everything grown in her own garden or what she purchased from the fruit and vegetable stands of local farmers? My grandma canned everything from pickles to pears. Living in a small town had its benefits. In the summer, we would buy local cucumbers and corn and “put it up” for the winter. In the fall, we would buy bushels of apples and pears and make preserves by either canning or freezing them. My grandma even pickled the pears!  I never thought I would like pickled pears but as a kid, my grandmother made the most amazing lamb with homemade pear chutney. It became a tradition in my family, which I continue to serve to my own family today. 

Pat Page, Marine WWII

This pear chutney was so good — my grandpa even put it on his ice cream!! He had an unusual palate, but his affinity for food saved his life as a Marine in World War II. During his stint as a rifleman in Iwo Jima, he left his foxhole during a lull in gunfire in the middle of the night to trade rations with a fellow Marine. When he returned, his bunker had been hit with fire. Had he stayed in that foxhole, he would not have made it to tell the story.

As talk of ending the current war looms in the not too distant future, we should remember the troops who are still serving in Afghanistan and Iraq on behalf of our country. Maybe we cannot send grandma’s lamb, but we can certainly give our soldiers a taste of home by sending them homemade “rations” preserved with love from our kitchens. So whether it is pear chutney or something else homemade, the smallest gift can bring the biggest smile to our dedicated soldiers overseas.

GRANDMA’S PEAR CHUTNEY 

 Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
Fresh grated gingerroot
1/2 cup red pepper vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 medium lemon sliced
6 medium pears, peeled, thinly sliced

Combine water, vinegar, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, grated gingerroot and the sliced lemon in a large saucepan and stir well. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil then stir in the pear slices. Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes until pears are tender. Remove cloves and cinnamon and lemon slices. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.