There is much to be said for bottled fruit. The Europeans hold them in high esteem and usually only the finest fruit is kept for this purpose, presented in syrup set in stunning tall jars. When fruit is out of season, this is as close as it gets to eating fruit that still tastes its very best. Any orchard fruit works well, and you can adjust the syrup according to your palate. For a slightly sweeter version, use 60 per cent sugar to 40 per cent water. Or, for a more natural-flavoured syrup, use 40 per cent sugar and 60 per cent water. Syrup choice also depends on the fruit. I find sharper fruit, such as plums and quince, work well in the heavier 60/40 sugar–water syrup while, in this recipe for pears (as well as apples, peaches and nectarines) the standard, medium 50/50 syrup works nicely.