Date-Stuffed Saffron-Poached Pears with Chardonnay Wine Sauce

When most people think of pears poached in wine, they picture the classic rendition that utilizes red wine, often port, flavored with cinnamon and vanilla as the poaching medium. After cooking the pears, the delicious fruit- and spice-infused wine is usually reduced to a syrupy consistency and served as a sauce. Ruby Pears with Verbena Bavarois and Port Wine Reduction is an example of this traditional technique. The same application is also popular for whole figs (see