Any recipes for conference pears? I've 35 lbs!

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I've just picked 35 lb of conference pears from my tree in the back garden.

Can anyone suggest ways of storing these, or recipes to use them in?

Can I blanch and freeze them or will they go mushy?

Can you make wine with them?

I know you should not wrap them in paper to store, and that they must not touch eachother and must be kept in a cool location, however I need my dining table back!



Any ideas gratefully received.

Thank you!

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How's this for starters

Pears Baked in Marsala Wine
Serves 8
Ingredients
For the pears:
8 large hard pears
1 pint (570 ml) Marsala
2 oz (50 g) caster sugar
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla pod
1 rounded dessertspoon arrowroot
To serve:
1 x 500 ml tub crème fraîche
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark ½, 250°F (130°C). No gas mark ½
You will also need a large flameproof casserole with a tight-fitting lid.

Using a potato peeler thinly pare off the outer skin of the pears, but leave the stalks intact. Then slice off a thin little disc from each pear base so they can sit upright. Now lay the pears on their side in the casserole. Pour in the Marsala then sprinkle over the sugar and add the cinnamon sticks and vanilla pod.
Now bring everything up to simmering point, then cover the casserole and bake the pears on a low shelf in the oven for about 1½ hours. After that remove the casserole from the oven, turn the pears over on to their other side, then replace the lid and return them to the oven for a further 1½ hours.
When the pears are cooked, transfer them to a serving bowl to cool, leaving the liquid in the casserole. Then remove the cinnamon sticks and vanilla pod. Place the casserole over direct heat and then, in a cup, mix the arrowroot with a little cold water until you have a smooth paste. Add this to the casserole, whisking with a small whisk as you add it. Bring the syrup just up to simmering point, by which time it will have thickened slightly. Then remove from the heat and when the syrup is cool, spoon it over the pears, basting them well.
Now cover the pears with foil or clingfilm and place them in the fridge to chill thoroughly. Serve the pears sitting upright in individual dishes with the sauce spooned over and the crème fraîche handed round separately.

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This is a fabulous recipe, I made lots when I had a pear tree.

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/spiced-pickled-pears,1230,RC.html