I found a pretty simple looking recipe for pear wine at: CommonSenseHome. The tips were helpful and it looks like something I might have a hard time messing up. I began amassing the ingredients.

I put the first batch of pears up to ripen on the porch. I turned them daily. The tiny imperfections that I’d overlooked deepened in color, spreading like a bad relationship across the surface. I had to rethink my strategy.

I’ll purchase the pears! Two 3-pound bags of pears delivered to my door. With greedy anticipation, I waited. Alas, they only had one 3-pound bag available with no substitutions. Abuh.

Adjust the sails! Farmers market before a 10 am service? Sure thing. I dress for the occasion:

Did you know that pears in East Tennessee come into season primarily in September. Did you know that I lost track of time for several months and learned it today? Thwarted, but not without hope. Now what?

I recently gained access to the family recipes from my client’s deceased mother. She had many duplicates of the same recipe for two-day pickles. I read it several times as I sorted through the recipes enough that I felt confident enough to buy pickling cucumbers and I like onions so I bought enough to make a gallon of brine.

Crap. No dill. Good thing I had onions? Onward!

Now we wait. That was quite a few switchbacks to arrive at pickles from pear wine. Such is life. I’ll update when I’ve tested the goods.

I confess, I’m not typically one to experiment with an untested recipe, but no grits, no glory, right? Right?!