Growing up, I loved pears. They were one of my favorite fruits apart from the quintessential Indian mangoes. The pears in India are quite different from the ones you get here in California. I was amazed by how many different varieties of pears there are in California, like the d’Anjou pear (green and red varieties), Bosc, Comice, Bartlett, and Asian pears.
When I started my jam business, one of the flavors I sold was the Pear and Spice Jam. The pears need to be slightly, but not overly, soft and grainy. They need to be the right consistency when making the jam. I used star anise, cinnamon, and clove in the jam—they work beautifully with the pear. It was my second most popular flavor—people loved it. My favorite way to eat this jam is by putting spoonfuls of it on vanilla bean ice cream. Trust me, it is mindblowingly addictive! Try slathering it on vanilla muffins, too. I changed up the recipe to use chai masala to give the jam a lovely warmth.
