Danish tapioca and pear porridge

While it wasn't the most disgusting thing I've made from this cookbook (that designation belongs to pureed rutabaga with Scotch), the pear and tapioca porridge was definitely the strangest. I knew Goldstein was hedging her bets when she described this gruel as "not...to everyone's taste" with an "interesting texture." I agree, but again, I can't say I didn't like it in its weirdness. The tapioca was the best part, plumping into gooey, slightly chewy orbs that coagulated into warm curds as it reconstituted, and the pears added a nice sweetness. Aside from putting it into baked goods, I'm not a fan of buttermilk, though, and the commercial stuff (as she predicted) turned into a galaxy of tiny, grainy curds, which you can see in the picture. The tangy taste of the buttermilk wasn't bad, but I did not like the texture of it at all. Still, this was fun to make and was an interesting experiment that I don't regret trying.

Done