Simmer wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, orange peel, star anise, and pears for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and allow pears to cool in poaching liquid.

Store pears in liquid overnight. Reserve the poaching liquid in the refrigerator for future poaching sessions.

Slice pears into quarters, leaving the core. 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Arrange cheese on latkes with pear slices. Top latke and bake for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and latke is heated through.