Cooking
Summer is fruit season. But one special fruit is in all it's glory in the wintertime--pears.
Pears are one of the world's oldest cultivated fruits. They probably originated in Asia but they have been cultivated in Europe since at least 2000 BC. In France, Louis XIV popularized pears by proclaiming them his favorite fruit. The pear was later introduced into the New World by the colonists.
There are thousands of varieties of pears. Pear trees are can last 50 to 75 years, and anyone who has grown a pear tree knows that the fruit only ripens off the tree.
Doyenne du Comice means "top of show" and has gained the reputation as the best tasting pear. It was first produced in France in 1849. It is a pale green-yellow fruit with pinkish-red flushing. It it juicy, sweet and almost buttery flavored. It must be cross pollinated with a Bosc or Bartlett.
The largest varieties of Comice are often sold at Christmas time. We got a box of them from some friends and have been enjoying them for dessert. Harry and David call their Doyenne du Comice the "Royal Riviera" .
The best ways to eat Comice pears are:
* Sliced in green salads
* Cut into chunks in fruit salad
* Serve raw grated into muesli with yogurt
* With blue cheese such as Gorgonzola or Stilton
* With creamy cheeses such as Camembert or Brie
* Thinly sliced added to a grilled cheese and ham sandwich
- Roasted Sausages & Pears Recipe
Sometimes the story behind a given dish is complicated. This is one of those recipes, though the recipe is is easy as can be. I'm particularly proud of it because it's rather original and I got a number of compliments on it and even a couple...
- Poached Pears: Recipe
It's pear season right now so if you haven't had a poached pear in a while, treat yourself to a taste of Autumn. Pear season kind of snuck up on me this year. I was surprised to find a dozen Seckel pears in my organic produce delivery last week....
- All About Prickly Pear
The first time I had prickly pear fruit was in a Mexican popsicle or "paleta". It was a bright cherry red and sweet as could be. Mexican summers can get so hot you need something, anything ice cold, never mind what the flavor is. But I think that was...
- All About Figs
When I was growing up we had a fig tree in front of our house. My sister and I were avid tree climbers but I have to say, fig trees are pretty lousy for climbing. For one thing the branches are fairly slim and won't hold the weight of even one child...
- Ginger Pear Upside Down Cake In Food & Wine
Fall is a wonderful time of year. The weather is still good. Many of the summer vegetables and fruit are still fresh and available and fall fruits are coming in too. That means figs and apples and pears in addition to tomatoes and basil. All of which...
Cooking
All About Pears
Summer is fruit season. But one special fruit is in all it's glory in the wintertime--pears.
Pears are one of the world's oldest cultivated fruits. They probably originated in Asia but they have been cultivated in Europe since at least 2000 BC. In France, Louis XIV popularized pears by proclaiming them his favorite fruit. The pear was later introduced into the New World by the colonists.
There are thousands of varieties of pears. Pear trees are can last 50 to 75 years, and anyone who has grown a pear tree knows that the fruit only ripens off the tree.
Doyenne du Comice means "top of show" and has gained the reputation as the best tasting pear. It was first produced in France in 1849. It is a pale green-yellow fruit with pinkish-red flushing. It it juicy, sweet and almost buttery flavored. It must be cross pollinated with a Bosc or Bartlett.
The largest varieties of Comice are often sold at Christmas time. We got a box of them from some friends and have been enjoying them for dessert. Harry and David call their Doyenne du Comice the "Royal Riviera" .
The best ways to eat Comice pears are:
* Sliced in green salads
* Cut into chunks in fruit salad
* Serve raw grated into muesli with yogurt
* With blue cheese such as Gorgonzola or Stilton
* With creamy cheeses such as Camembert or Brie
* Thinly sliced added to a grilled cheese and ham sandwich
- Roasted Sausages & Pears Recipe
Sometimes the story behind a given dish is complicated. This is one of those recipes, though the recipe is is easy as can be. I'm particularly proud of it because it's rather original and I got a number of compliments on it and even a couple...
- Poached Pears: Recipe
It's pear season right now so if you haven't had a poached pear in a while, treat yourself to a taste of Autumn. Pear season kind of snuck up on me this year. I was surprised to find a dozen Seckel pears in my organic produce delivery last week....
- All About Prickly Pear
The first time I had prickly pear fruit was in a Mexican popsicle or "paleta". It was a bright cherry red and sweet as could be. Mexican summers can get so hot you need something, anything ice cold, never mind what the flavor is. But I think that was...
- All About Figs
When I was growing up we had a fig tree in front of our house. My sister and I were avid tree climbers but I have to say, fig trees are pretty lousy for climbing. For one thing the branches are fairly slim and won't hold the weight of even one child...
- Ginger Pear Upside Down Cake In Food & Wine
Fall is a wonderful time of year. The weather is still good. Many of the summer vegetables and fruit are still fresh and available and fall fruits are coming in too. That means figs and apples and pears in addition to tomatoes and basil. All of which...