And A Partridge and a Pear Pie: Pear Anise Pie

I know that I have been slacking off with my pie blogs. What with my trip to New Orleans, and the holidays, I have not found the time to write about my favorite subject. But that does not mean that I have not been making pies. In fact, I made quite a few old favorites for the holidays, including cranberry sage, salted apple caramel, and key lime. I did manage to venture into new territory with one pie, however, that I made for a family Hanakkuh gathering. This pie is called Pear Anise Pie.

I had been wanting to make this pie for quite some time, as I have already made 2 different pear pies from the Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book, by the Elsen sisters. Both were really good, so I assumed that this one would be as mouth-watering as the others. The recipe for this pie is quite simple. It basically consists of fresh pears, granulated and brown sugars, flour, allspice, bitters and salt. But the key ingredient in this treat is anise seeds. I was a little skeptical about the how the anise would blend with the other flavors in this recipe.

The result of this mixture, which was again spooned into a wonderful butter crust, was perfectly sweet and savory at the same time. The review from the family was overwhelmingly favorable. Although we had previously devoured a tender, succulent brisket made by my husband, everyone gobbled the pear anise pie as if it were the appetizer! Vanilla bean ice cream topped the pie in an exquisite fashion. Unfortunately, the down side was that there was virtually none of the pie left for me to consume the next day! 

In summary, there is no doubt that the pear anise pie will be made again, hopefully for just my husband and myself. It was a total hit with everyone! Speaking of pies, I have enjoyed making all of the pies I have have blogged about this year, and will continue to do so in 2016. There are so many pies to make - so little time. It will be fun to see what tasty pie treats await me next year. In the meantime, I will be wearing the wonderful apron that my sister made for me for Christmas as I cover the kitchen counter and myself with flour!