Pears in wine or stewed pears can be eaten for dessert and as an accompaniment for other dishes, particularly poultry such as duck and goose. The red wine may be substituted for mature wine or sweet garnacha wine, although the amount of sugar must be reduced so the pears are not too sweet. Although they can be eaten hot, it is best to allow them to cool so that the flavours have time to blend together. The pears must be the kind with firm flesh, such as Sant Joan, which are only available on the market for a couple of months. It is best not to use Anjou pears, as their texture means they break up very easily. In autumn, this dish can also be prepared with small whole apples found growing naturally or in the wild.