1 T Lemon juice

4 lg Firm pears

4 Pieces crystallized ginger,

-cut in halves 2 T Butter

1 T Light-brown sugar

2/3 c Pineapple juice

2/3 c Whipping cream

Fresh bay leaves Toasted flaked almonds Preheat oven to 375'F. (190'C.). Lightly grease a shallow baking dish. Fill a bowl with cold water and add lemon juice. Peel pears and cut in half. Cut away stems and remove cores with a teaspoon. Drop prepared pears in lemon water. Pat pears dry on paper towels. Place a piece of crystallized ginger into "well" of each pear half. Arrange pears, cut-sides down, in greased dish. Put butter, brown sugar and pineapple juice into a saucepan and heat gently to dissolve sugar. Add whipping cream and boil 5 minutes. Pour sauce over pears. Cover and bake in preheat oven 1 hour or until pears are tender and sauce has thickened. Baste pears with sauce several times during baking. Place pears on a warm serving plate and spoon sauce over pears. Arrange bay leaves to resemble pear leaves and garnish with almonds. Serve hot.