4 Firm pears 3 tb Sugar - pref. Chinese rock sugar 1/3 c Water 2 Pieces Chinese cinnamon bark -=OR=- Cinnamon sticks PEEL THE PEARS and cut them in half. Remove the core and seeds. Combine the sugar and water in a small pot and boil it until the sugar has completely dissolved. Allow it to cool slightly. Put the pears, sugar-water and cinnamon together into a shallow bowl. Set up a steamer or put a rack into a wok or pan. Add about 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Put the bowl of pears into the steamer or onto the rack, turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the wok or pot tightly with a lid. Slowly steam the pears for about 15-to-25 minutes, until they are tender. (The cooking time will depend on the ripeness of the pears.) When the pears are cooked, drain all the liquid and cinnamon stick or bark into a small saucepan and reduce the liquid to a syrup by boiling it fast. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Pour the syrup over the pears and serve at once. Or you can let the mixture cool, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve it.