Poached pears in a spiced syrup

Poached pears are good at pretty much any time of year, especially for making the best of any stored pears that you are unlikely to eat fresh or that are reluctant to ripen - under-ripe pears are best for poaching. The cooking liquid and spices can be varied, according to what you prefer or have to hand: a bottle of dessert wine can replace the sugar, perry and water, or you can use a dry white wine with the sugar, or a mixture. The cooking time varies depending on the variety of pear and i