My friend Karen and I came to the conclusion that you know food network chefs are lying about whether or not their food is good when their reaction to tasting it is saying things like “this really is such a good temperature,” “that tiny drop of lemon really makes the dish,” or “the consistency is perfect,” instead of actually eating it. There should really be some type of barometer on the side of the TV, letting us rate the perceived deliciousness of each dish by our interpretations of people’s facial expressions as we sit an gossip about things of lesser importance as if we were regulars on The View.  I don’t really know what that has to do with anything at all, but I did find myself sampling many many foods as I baked through this long weekend. I visited my friend in Long Island who I went to Italy with (took the LIRR for the first time!) and had my first red mango. When I got home I made this gingerbread cake, which is really quite tasty; the pears become caramelized on the top and form a gooey crust, and the cake underneath is perfectly moist and spiced. Although it was good, I went out afterwards and bought Ben and Jerry’s milk and cookies and cookie dough ice creams because the cake just didn’t do it (I don’t know about you, but I don’t really crave gingerbread cakes). It’s like choosing between a chocolate lava cake and a slice of a fruit tart. They’re both delicious, and the tart is perfect to impress, but really, who are you kidding? 

Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread Cake
from Gourmet

For topping
2 1/2 firm pears (preferably Bosc)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

For cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup molasses (preferably mild)
1 cup boiling water
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Make topping:
Peel and core pears and cut each into 8 wedges.

Melt butter in skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Reduce heat to low, then sprinkle brown sugar over bottom of skillet and cook, undisturbed, 3 minutes (not all sugar will be melted). Arrange pears decoratively over sugar and cook, undisturbed, 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together molasses and boiling water in a small bowl. Beat together butter, brown sugar, and egg in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes, then alternately mix in flour mixture and molasses in 3 batches at low speed until smooth.

Pour batter over topping in skillet, spreading evenly and being careful not to disturb pears, and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

Cool cake in skillet on a rack 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of skillet, then invert a large plate with a lip over skillet and, using pot holders to hold skillet and plate tightly together, invert cake onto plate. Replace any pears that stick to skillet. Serve warm or at room temperature.