To a gill of water add sufficient sugar to make a sweet syrup. Boil and skim. When clear, add the pears and a slice of lemon. Simmer until tender. Remove the lemon and serve cold.
Stewed Prunes
1 lb. prunes
1 pint water
¹⁄₂ lb. sugar
1 lemon
Peel the lemon very finely. Put the peel, water, sugar and prunes in a stew-pan. Simmer gently until very tender. Put the prunes in a glass dish. Add the juice of the lemon to the syrup. Reduce it until thick. Strain over the prunes. This is best prepared the day before it is required.
Strawberries and Cream
Pick over a number of fine strawberries. Put a layer of them in a glass dish. Sprinkle sugar over them. Add one or two more layers and sprinkle each with sugar. Set aside for about an hour.
Whip half a pint of cream with the white of two eggs and two ozs. powdered sugar until very frothy. Let it stand a few minutes. Remove all the froth to a sieve to drain, and whip up the liquid cream remaining. When that is frothy, drain it on a sieve as before. Keep the cream in a cold place till it is required, piling it on the strawberries when ready to serve.
Fruit Salad
Take tinned or fresh pine-apple, peaches, apricots and fresh strawberries, cherries, bananas, oranges, according to season. Cut the large fruit into small pieces. Put all into a large bowl. Make a syrup (see [p. 151]) of sugar and water, or, if tinned pears and pine apples have been used, of their juice and sugar. Pour it over the fruit while warm. Let it stand a little while. Place on the dish in which it is to be served. Decorate with grapes or crystallised sugar.