Pear Butter
Comments:	It really is up to you to add some sweetness as according to the variety of pears, it is possible that you do not want to add any sweeteness to this butter. Sweet 'Bartlett' pears are perfect for this recipe. Keep any opened jar refrigerated.
Servings:	3 [8-ounce / 250-mL each] jars
Ingredients	Preparation
2 cups [500 mL] water 1 tablespoon [15 mL] lemon juice 6 cups [1.5 L] pear slices* 1 [1-inch / 2.5-cm long] piece fresh ginger 1 tablespoon [15 mL] or more, to taste, pure maple syrup or honey [optional] 1/4 teaspoon [1 mL] allspice 3 cinnamon sticks [optional] 3 [8-ounce / 250-mL each] hot sterilized jars	Mix together cold water and lemon juice into a non-aluminium, preferably a enamelled cast-iron casserole as it will not brown the mixture too much, if you do not want to get a brown mixture. *Peel, core and slice pears transferring each cut slice immediately to the water and lemon juice mixture. Bring to a boil and leave pear slices to simmer until quite tender, for 5 to 10 minutes. Peel then cut ginger into 4 pieces; finely chop ginger into a food processor using the metal blade. Add and puree pear slices with liquid [it is possible that you will have to do this in two batches]; pour puree back into casserole. Cook over low heat for approximately 2 hours, until really thick, stirring often to prevent browning. Butter should be quite reduced; a spoon slid through the butter should leave a trace. Remove thick butter from heat. Taste the butter and, if desired, sweeten the butter to taste with pure maple syrup or honey. Stir in allspice. Arrange one cinnamon stick into each hot sterilized jar. Evenly ladle really hot butter into hot sterilized jars, up to 1/4-inch [6-mm] from the rim. Seal jars. Sterilize into hot boilig water or steam filled jars, for 5 minutes. If needed, seal jars once more; leave jars to sit for 12 hours without moving them. Then keep jars into a cool, dry environment.