Pears Poached In Port - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 c. sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 (1-inch) piece fresh orange peel
1 c. Port (tawny or ruby)
1 pt. water
4 cloves
6 pears (ripe but firm)

Preparation

In saucepan just large enough to fit pears, mix sugar, water, cinnamon, cloves and orange peel.
Bring to low boil for a few minutes; cool.
Peel pears, leaving stems.
Cut small bit off bottom so pears will stand upright.
Leave them in a bowl, covered with mild salt water until ready to cook.
Drain pears; place into syrup pan.
Add Port; bring to gentle boil.
Turn down to simmer. Cover; cook, occasionally spooning syrup over pears, until tender but not mushy (about 15 minutes).
Serve each pear upright and spoon syrup over.