Colorful and delicious Cranberry Pear Sauce will be a hit this holiday season! It is super quick and easy to make with no refined sugar. Its sweetness comes naturally from ripe pears and a touch of real maple syrup. It is a superb accompaniment to turkey and other poultry as well, as pork tenderloin or pork roast. Once you try this recipe, you’ll never look at store-bought cranberry sauce the same. What kind of pear to use? Bartletts hold their flavor but break down and become "saucy" when heated so they are a good choice for this recipe. They have a true “pear shape” with a large, rounded bottom half that tapers to a smaller curved neck with slender stem. Bartletts come in two colors, red and yellow, that are unique in the pear world in that they darken as they ripen. Bartletts ... [Read More]
pears
Pear Honey
Pear Honey – just what the name says. So sweet and flavorful. Be prepared though. One taste and it will disappear in a flash. See that little bit on the little plate in the picture? That is what is left of the whole batch. Yeh, the same day I made it! A superb spread, Pear Honey is really easy to make. Pear Honey makes me think of turning leaves, earthy smells, and gorgeous rich reds and yellows. It just says Fall! No honey involved and the name may refer to the sweet, deep pear flavor itself. This is a favorite on holiday tables – but you can use it any time! It is a perfectly marvelous topper for ice cream or a crusty bread, hot biscuits or any food you can top with fruit. I use Bartlett pears to make this. They are somewhat thin skinned so peeling is optional. Quarter them ... [Read More]
Grilled Brie and Pear Sandwich
The grilled brie and pear sandwich caught my eye immediately! Last Thursday, the women on my block went to lunch for our regular monthly get together. We try out new restaurants and visit old favorites. Sometimes we go shopping afterwards or to a movie, but mostly we just talk and catch up with one another. This time we went to a new to us restaurant with a wonderfully eclectic menu. I don't usually order sandwiches but grilled brie and pear just sounded so MMMMMMM! It was indeed! I had to come home and create the spirit of this wonderful melty inside, crusty outside grilled brie and pear sandwich for Wheels and Bytes – and me! Begin with wonderful crusty artisan sourdough bread sliced into eight slabs. Add a circle of brie sliced thinly, a ripe large Bosc pear sliced ... [Read More]
Honey Butter Baked Pear
Pear baked in honey laced with butter. I had to start with the basics for this one. And I'm so glad I did! Bosc pears are an aristocratic fruit. A ripe Bosc pear has a sweet,somewhat spicy refined taste and is buttery smooth on your tongue. They are firm and more densely textured than other pears so hold their shape beautifully when cooked. Their shape is elongated and elegant. They can be distinquished by their unique soft cinnamon bronzy skin. Bosc (pronounced “Bawsk”) pears are available beginning in September through the winter months until mid-spring. Of French origin, most Bosc pears purchased in the US are grown in Washington and Oregon. In Europe, they are known as Kaiser Alexander Pears. This was the first time I ever baked a pear. Big mistake – waiting this long ... [Read More]
