Good warm, even better cold - Fennel and Pear Soup

I am sure this soup already exists and that there are numerous versions of it too but to me it is new. Or at least it feels like that but then my memory isn't what it once was. Anyway, I was standing with a fennel bulb in my hand when I saw a very ripe pear on the table and somehow my mind connected with the two and there was one - the vision of a fennel and pear soup. I'm not a big fan of fruit in savoury food but this is a great combination in my opinion, the fennel has a sweetness to it and that is enriched and deepened by the pear. 

 And it is another white soup, I wonder why all my soups seems to be white of late, could it be the winter season that inspires me? Apart from that, isn't that bowl with the cow sweet? It is a wonderful allround bowl, I drink my huge caffelatte out it it every morning, my hands curl so nicely around its warmth,  and now and then I use it as a soup bowl. I wish I had bought more of them, I'd love to have a herd of cow bowls!





FENNEL AND PEAR SOUP
4 servings

5 cm / 2 in finely sliced leek, the white part
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 small/medium fennel bulbs
700 ml/ 3,4 cup light stock or water
2 very ripe pears
200 ml/ 0,63 cup fresh cream
salt
extra-virgin olive oil

   Slice the fennel bulbs and peel and slice the pears. Cook the sliced leek gently in a little olive oil and add the fennel seeds before adding the fennel. Keep on cooking gently for another 3-4 minutes.

   Add the stock and simmer under half-closed lid for 15 minutes when you add the cream and quickly heat it up again.

   Add the pears and blend the soup in a mixer until smooth. This soup is good warm but I liked it even more cold...