Date-Stuffed Poached Pears in Phyllo Crowns with Brandied Mousseline Sauce

Pears have been popular with epicures for a very long time. The Romans had pear trees in virtually every garden and tended them with the utmost of care. In fact, during the time of the Roman Empire, the number of pear varieties cultivated grew from as few as 6 to nearly 60. The pear recipes in this text in no way begin to cover the possibilities; one could easily write a cookbook on this fruit alone. An excellent pear dessert that certainly doesn’t require a recipe is simply a perfectly rip