Carefully
remove the rind from the lemon with a potato peeler leaving any white
pith behind. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a saucepan, add the
rind, sugar, nutmeg and cider and heat through to dissolve the sugar.
Carefully peel the pears, leaving the stalks on if possible, and place
them in the pan of cider. Poach the pears for 10-15 minutes until almost
tender, turning them frequently. Transfer the pears to individual
serving dishes using a slotted spoon. Simmer the liquid over a high heat
until it reduces slightly and becomes syrupy. Pour the warm syrup over
the pears, and serve at once with freshly made custard, cream or ice
cream. To get pears
of just the right firmness, you may have to buy them slightly under ripe
and then wait a day or more. Soft pears are no good at all for this
dish.
