Honeyed Words: Time Traveling Englishman Finds Relief in Pear Tart

Time Traveling Englishman Finds Relief in Pear Tart · 24 May 2007

Picture of Pear Tart Filling

England's traditional culinary claim is to food that's boring, hearty, and bland. It's no surprise that, in To Say Nothing of the Dog, Ned Henry is less than thrilled to be treated to a traditional upper class Victorian breakfast, complete with meat, meat, and more meat.

I was still thinking about Pearl Harbor when I went down to breakfast. Tossie was standing at the sideboard, holding Princess Arjumand and taking the lids off each of the silver serving dishes and then putting them back on with a dissatisfied expression.

It was the first time I had felt any kinship with he. Poor thing, consigned to a life of frivolousness and wretched things for breakfast.

What is surprising is that he seemed to be used to better fare, which led me to wonder.

To Say Nothing of the Dog is set in the future of England.
Ned earlier seemed taken aback at the breakfasts of Victorian England.
What if English food were suddenly to become. . . good?

I tried to imagine England three generations from now. Not being English, this was hard to do. However, as I mentioned in my review of To Say Nothing of the Dog, aside from the obvious post Industrial Revolution features (already evident in contemporary England) and the invention of time travel, Willis' future England bears little difference to her Victorian England.

I supposed that in order to get a good idea of what culinary fare Ned may have been used to, I should check out the trends in modern English cooking. After all, if the English were to have a culinary revolution by 2057, it's foundation may be being laid right now.

Amazingly enough, Bon Appétite, magazine had the same idea (albeit years ago) and devoted an entire month to the changing cuisine of England. While they were the first to admit that you can still find a bland pasty, an over boiled roast, or a plate of vegetables that resembles mush more than anything else, they found some gems worth sharing.

This pear tart is decidedly English in it's ingredients. Stilton cheese has been the crown cheese of England for centuries. The Stilton Cheesemaker's Association refers to it as "Britain’s historic blue cheese and Britain’s favorite blue cheese." The EU has granted it the status of protected designation of origin, meaning only cheese produced in the English counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire may be sold as Stilton cheese.

Pears are also decidedly and historically English, arising from the plant Pyrus communis which still grows wild in Britain. Belgian endive is an ideal crop for cooler climates like England.

The finished tart is an unusual combination of fruit, cheese, and curry. The cheese dominates, but the fruity undertones of the pear sneak through. The overlying curry flavor gives it a distinct and unusual finishing touch. It also very impressive looking, showing off a golden-brown crust, for the amount of time that it takes to make.

Picture of Baked Pear Tart

Endive, Stilton, and Pear Tart

Adapted from Bon Appétite, May 1993

2 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 heads Belgian endive, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
½ cup chopped shallots
1 tsp curry powder
3 large pears, peeled, cored, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (2 sheets required)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup crumbled Stilton cheese (75 g)
3 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped

Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots, endive, and curry; sauté until endive is golden, about 8 minutes.

Add pears and vinegar to skillet; mix into existing ingredients; sauteé until pears are tender, about 2 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl to cool.

Preheat over to 425° F.

Create a lightly-floured work surface and spread both pastry sheets upon it. Cut a 9 inch circle out of one pastry sheet, then transfer it to a cookie sheet. Brush egg over the pastry.

Add crumbled cheese and chives to the cooled pear mixture. Mix well.

Spoon pear mixture on to the pastry, leaving a ½ border around the edge (pictured at top).

Return to the second pastry. Cut a larger circle out of the sheet (this will give you enough overlap to create a plump tart).

Use the second pastry circle to cover the first and the pear mixture. Line up the edges of the pastry circles and crimp the edges together, pressing them down with the tines of a fork.

Brush the top pastry sheet with egg.

Using a small knife, make several small incisions into the top of the pastry, to allow steam to escape during the cooking process.

Freeze tart for 10 minutes.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Let tart sit 1 hour before serving.

Blue Cheese, Curry, English Food, Pear, Puffed Pastry, Savory Tart, To Say Nothing of The Dog, Vegetarian