Method

• Start off by putting all the ingredients except the pears in a large saucepan and place it on a low heat, allowing it to come slowly to the boil
• Give everything a whisk round from time to time to dissolve the sugar crystals
• While that's happening, peel the pears
• They need to be pared very thinly
• This means using either a very sharp knife or a really good potato peeler
• Take off all the peel but leave the stalks and the base florets intact
• As you peel each pear, plunge it into a bowl of cold water
• Then, after peeling them, check that the sugar has completely dissolved into the vinegar, drain the pears and add them to the saucepan
• Bring everything up to a gentle simmer and let the pears cook for about 20 minutes or until they look slightly transparent and feel tender when tested with a small skewer
• In the meantime, the jar should be washed thoroughly in warm, soapy water, rinsed, dried and heated in a moderate oven for 5 minutes
• Then, using a draining spoon, transfer the pears and slices of lemon to the clean jar
• Now boil the syrup furiously for about 5 minutes until it's reduced to about 15 fl oz (425 ml) and pour in enough to fill the jar right up to its neck and completely cover the pears
• Then scoop out the spices and add them to the jar as well
• Any leftover syrup can be discarded
• Cover and seal the jar and, when the contents are completely cold, wipe and label it and store it in a cool dark place for about 1 month before using
• The pears will keep well for 6 months