First weekend after Labor Day and  the signs of fall are here by the bay – the beach parking lot is no longer filled with sunbathers but antique cars for the annual fall show, acorns are falling on my back deck with a few brown leaves , the evenings are getting cooler but the day are still warm. There is an abundance of pears and apples at the farmer’s market.  With the days still warm I wanted to make something refreshing to drink after my walk to the antique car show, then I  remembered a pear soda a tried just a few weeks ago. Pear soda is not easy to find, so I took advantage of the pears I bought at the farm stand to make my own soda. So much simpler than shopping for it in stores. It’s perfectly refreshing! Enjoy!

From by the bay wishing you delicious fizzy pear food memories!

Maryann

Pear soda

Ingredients
3 pears
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

optional: pear slices to garnish

Directions

Peel, core and cube pears. Place in a medium saucepan with water and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.  Use a potato masher to mash pear.  Use a fine mesh sieve to strain mixture pressing the liquid through with a back of a spoon and cool. Pour 1/4 cup pear syrup in a glass and top with soda water. Enjoy!

Note: if you don’t want to throw the pear mash out put back in saucepan, add a 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and a 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen whole cranberries and cook stirring ocassionally, until cranberries burst. Cool and serve it’s like a cranberry pear sauce.