In Praise Of Pears

There's something sensuous about a pear. Perhaps it's the smooth, curvaceous shape and delicate skin of this fruit, or the lightly-scented, juicy white flesh encased within. Whatever the attraction, pears have been a favorite subject of artists, poets, and epicures alike for centuries.

Pears are both simple and complex--not unlike the women whose shape they have been likened to. They are virtuous enough to stand alone, yet hardy enough to be the star ingredient in a pie or tart enhanced with a sprinkling of sweet spice. Their mild flavor reaches new heights when mixed with other ingredients. They are a great base for moist baked goods, sublime ice cream, and dessert topping. The arrival of pears at the turn of the season makes the farewell to summer fruit a little more bearable.

Pears are not bold. They win you over with subtle sweetness, and surprise you with their versatility. They are a wonderful compliment to a salad with spicy or bitter greens and a robust blue cheese, delicious as a roasted side condiment with white meats, and a dessert worthy of kings when poached with sauternes and vanilla bean.

There is a pear to please everyone's palate: the mild-flavored green Bartlett and slightly spicy Anjou; the russet-skinned Bosc with its long graceful neck, perfect for poaching; the Red Star Crimson, creamy and succulent; the incomparable Comice, wide-bottomed queen of the pear family, with its light floral essence, buttery flavor, and slightly grainy texture-- this last variety my personal weakness.

Recently I received a call from a friend with an offer I couldn't resist. It seems her backyard pear tree was bursting with more fruit than she could handle, and she was looking to share her considerable wealth. "Would you like a few pears?" her voicemail message began, "I know how you enjoy them." She knows me so well. I have been the lucky recipient of her bountiful harvest in past years and always look forward to her call. Her excess is my good fortune. As luck would have it, her tree yields Comice pears--my absolute favorite variety. We exchanged calls, and later that day I found a huge Trader Joes bag heaped with fresh picked pears waiting for me on my porch. 

My happiness at receiving this windfall was almost immediately replaced by panic. What to do with all these pears? I decided to arrange them on a big platter, placed center stage on the dining room table for everyone to admire. Left to ripen for a few days they would be perfect--ready for recipes or eaten in their unadulterated form as the antidote to mid-afternoon sugar cravings.

Pears, it turns out, are best picked hard and allowed to ripen at room temperature after they've been harvested. On the tree, they ripen from the inside out, which means that by the time the outside of the fruit is soft enough to eat, the inside is mushy.

Most pears you find in retail stores have been placed in a deep chill prior to being delivered for sale. This process insures the pears will ripen in four to ten days after delivery, depending on the variety and ripening conditions. A pear is perfectly ripe and ready to eat when slightly soft to the touch on the neck of the fruit just below the stem. If you want to hasten the ripening process, you can place them in a brown paper bag which traps the ethylene gas they naturally produce. Once ripened to your personal preference, you can store them loosely covered in the refrigerator for a short time.

Sure enough, a few days of admiring my "still life" on the table, and it was time to leap into action. I rolled up my sleeves, dove into my recipe resources and found several favorites worthy of sharing with readers. If you find yourself fortunate enough to have a "plethora" of pears at your disposal, the following recipes will provide you tried and true ways to showcase this lovely fall fruit.

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Fresh mixed organic greens with arugula

1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced 

1/2 ripe avocado diced

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion tops 

1/2  cup chopped candied pecans (I like Trader Joes sweet and spicy pecans)

1/3 cup good quality blue cheese, crumbled (Point Reyes Blue is wonderful)

Girard’s Light Champagne Dressing to taste

Directions:  Gently toss ingredients together with dressing and top with a grinding of fresh black pepper if desired.

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Pear, Ham and Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich

4 slices of your favorite artisan bread 

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

6 slices black forest ham (optional)

1 pear, peeled and thinly sliced

sliced Brie Cheese

1 Tablespoon butter

Directions: Spread 2 slices of bread with mustard. Layer each with 3 slices ham, half the pear slices, and thin slices of brie cheese. Top with remaining bread slices. Lightly butter the surface of each sandwich. Grill over medium heat in a skillet on the stovetop until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Cut in half and serve immediately.

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Pear-Apple Sauce

This is my favorite way to use up extra pears and apples!

*Equal amounts of fresh apples and pears; peeled, cored and cut in large dice.

*Sugar or Agave Syrup.

*Trader Joes Spiced Pear Cider or Apple Cider                                                 

*Cinnamon 

Directions:  Place apples and pears in a large non-reactive stock pot. Add 1 cup Sugar or ¾ C Agave Syrup. Add enough cider to cover ¼ of the mixture. Place on stovetop and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and allow fruit to simmer, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency is reached. Add more cider as needed, additional sugar if needed, and cinnamon to taste. When fruit is soft, use a pastry blender (for chunky sauce) or electric hand blender (for puree) to blend to desired consistency. Refrigerate and serve fresh, or can in Ball jars following manufacturers instruction. Sauce may also be frozen.