Lifestyles

Some varieties of this elegant fruit are best eaten out of hand or in a fresh salad. Some hold up to poaching, roasting or braising, while others are more suited to canning or pickling.

It's pear season in the United States. Pennsylvania's harvest time is very short, beginning around Aug. 1 and ending in mid-September, although some of the crop is in cold storage for use by the holidays. Thank goodness, however, for the Pacific Northwest, which picks and ships eight varieties of pears from August through June, so they are a year-round domestic delight.

Oregon and Washington -- the latter is No. 1 among the states -- make up the largest pear production region in the United States, according to the Pear Bureau Northwest. Approximately 84 percent of fresh pears grown in the country and more than 94 percent of all winter pears -- types such as Bosc and Anjou -- are grown in these two states. The region also accounts for 92 percent of America's fresh pear imports.

Pittsburgh chefs are taking advantage of this luscious, juicy fruit. Executive chef Derek Stevens, of Eleven restaurant, in the Strip District, features a honey-glazed pear with thyme in soup made with locally harvested butternut squash. Depending on the day, his chef's tasting menu might feature Duck Confit Salad with house-made bacon, frisee, caramelized pears and whole-grain mustard vinaigrette, or Three Sisters Mesclun Greens & Pear Salad, with Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk cheese from California, roast shallot vinaigrette and black walnuts.

One of Eleven's sister restaurants under the corporate umbrella of Big Burrito Restaurant Group, Kaya, also in the Strip District, is offering Local Neck Pumpkin Cream Soup with Bosc pears, shallots and apple salsa, says sous chef Jason Sherrill.

The Cafe at the Frick, in Point Breeze, has Stuffed Pear Salad on its autumn menu. A phyllo-wrapped roasted pear -- locally grown -- is stuffed with gorgonzola cheese and served over crisp garden greens with roasted beets, spiced pecans and a cider maple vinaigrette. Cafe manager John Muth, who develops the changing fare with chef Patrick Laird, says the salad "is one of the most popular items on the menu."

"It's been fantastically received," he says. "It's a wonderful combination of seasonal ingredients, a natural mixture of flavors, textures and colors that complete each other. We'll have access to locally grown pears over the next few weeks."

At The Carlton, Downtown, executive chef Mark Swomley is offering rare-seared ahi tuna served over a poached pear and arugula salad, drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette.

Pears are perfect companions for a cheese course, particularly one featuring a blue variety.

Bill Fuller, corporate chef for Big Burrito, waxes poetic in his October online newsletter -- www.bigburrito.com -- about his homemade pear butter:

"Tonight, during halftime of Monday Night Football, I wandered out to the kitchen for a little snack," he writes. "Yeah, we all know we aren't supposed to eat before bed, but we all do. I toasted two slices of good multi-grain bread, spread them with way too much organic cultured butter and pulled the half-pint jar of pear butter out of the fridge."

He lovingly describes his favorite part of spreading the pear butter on the bread: "There develops in front of the spoon an interface at the leading edge of the pear butter where it begins to mix with the melted, broken butter. This bite is the best bite, the excessive butter piled up and barely mixing with the swell of pear butter.

"Oh, man."

Produce bins at supermarkets are brimming with pears -- all eight varieties from the Pacific Northwest are in season. The best for eating fresh or as a part of a salad are Green Anjou, Red Anjou, Comice and Forelle. Yellow Bartlett and Red Bartlett are excellent for out-of-hand eating. They also hold their shape and flavor in cooking and canning.

Seckel -- those mini-pears, colored maroon and olive green -- are suitable for snacking and pickling. The all-round pear is the dark-skinned Bosc, which can be eaten fresh or baked, poached, broiled or microwaved.

To ripen pears, leave them in a bowl or a paper bag for a few days at room temperature. Once ripe, refrigerate them if you are not eating or using them immediately. Most varieties do not change color during ripening, except for the Yellow and Red Bartletts, and Forelle pears turn bright yellow with crimson freckling.

Chef and cookbook author Anne Willan -- who was born in England and is a naturalized U.S. citizen -- lives part-time in northern Burgundy, France. In a recent story about fall fruits, she says she had a bumper crop from a tree that is probably 150 years old. In northern Germany, she says, pears are added to eel for soup; in Italy, they go with thinly sliced fresh fennel; and "everywhere" they are partnered with blue cheese.

Here are other suggestions for serving them, from the Pear Bureau Northwest, also known as Pear USA:

• For a quick and healthful breakfast, add pears to a fruit smoothie, sprinkle chopped pears on hot or cold cereal, or onto yogurt with a little granola garnish.

• Twist a traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich by adding fresh pear slices, or layer pear slices onto turkey and cheese. Try Brie or a mild havarti instead of the usual cheese.

• For perfect pear slices, use a pear slicer/corer (or one that can be used for apples). Dip into yogurt, peanut butter, caramel, or warm chocolate sauce. They are great with dessert fondue or one that features blue cheese.

• Add chopped pears to poultry stuffing or dressing. Grill pears to serve as a side dish for meat instead of a starch. Use pears as a quesadilla filling with cheese.

• Pears are perfect companions to a cheese course, particularly one featuring a blue variety.

Deconstructed Autumn Pear Crisp with Sparkling Pear Sorbet

This recipe is adapted from "The Wine Lover's Dessert Cookbook" (Chronicle Books, $24.95 paperback) by Mary Cechand Jennie Schacht. Use a sparkling pear or apple cider that has no added sugar. If you do not have an ice cream maker, prepare a granita, which is explained in the recipe.

• 4 large red pears, ripe but still firm
• 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• Confectioners' sugar, for finishing, optional

For the pear sorbet:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups sparkling pear cider
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

For the topping:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats, uncooked
• 1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into large pieces

To make the sorbet: In a nonreactive pan (nonaluminum), combine the granulated sugar and water and heat on medium-high, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the cider and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until cold, then freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.

Alternately, let the mixture cool and pour into a chilled 13- by 9-inch metal baking dish. Place in the freezer and let freeze, stirring every 30 minutes, until the mixture is firm.

To make the topping: Position a rack near the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium-size bowl. Add the butter and rub the mixture, using your fingertips, until the butter is well distributed.

Gather the mixture in a single mass as if for pie pastry, then crumble it between your fingers until it has the texture of granola. Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the crumble is light golden brown, for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely, breaking up any large chunks with your fingers. Set aside.

To assemble: Just before serving, halve the pears. Use a melon baller to remove the cores and stems. Lay the halves, cut-side down, on a cutting board and cut lengthwise into paper-thin slices using a mandoline, if you have one.

Put the pear slices in a bowl and sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Toss very gently, adding a little more lemon juice if needed to lightly coat them.

Pile the pear slices attractively in 8 wide, shallow dessert bowls. Top the pears generously with the topping. If desired, sift confectioners' sugar over them.

Use 2 tablespoons to form egg-shaped scoops of sorbet, and place a scoop or two on each plate. If you made the mixture in the freezer, you might need to use an ice cream scoop. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Oaty Pear 'n' Pecan Pancakes

The Quaker Oats Co. developed this recipe, which can be served any time of the day. Use light pancake syrup to cut calories and sugar.

• 1 cup pancake and waffle mix
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium-size firm ripe pear, cored and chopped (about 1 cup), plus additional pear slices, for garnish
• 3/4 cup quick or old-fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans, more for garnish
• Pancake syrup or pure maple syrup, warmed, for serving

In a large bowl, mix the pancake mix and cinnamon. In a medium-size bowl, combine the milk, egg and oil until blended. Add to the pancake mix, stirring with a wire whisk just until combined. Gently stir in the chopped pears, oats and 2 tablespoons pecans. Let stand for 1-2 minutes to thicken.

Cook the pancakes on a hot griddle according to package directions. Serve with syrup and, if desired, pear slices and additional pecans.

Makes 4-6 servings (12 pancakes).

Spiced Pear Tart-Tini

This recipe was developed by Ballatore, a California winery that produces white and red spumante.

• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
• 1 Bosc pear
• 1 1/4 ounces pear liqueur
• 1 ounce pear nectar
• Splash of brandy
• Splash of lemon juice
• Ice
• 1 ounce white spumante wine

To prep the martini glass, mix the cinnamon and sugar on a plate. Rub a lemon wedge around the rim of the glass, then dip it in the cinnamon-sugar mix until well coated. Set the glass aside.

Cut a slice of the pear from the middle, to keep the stem intact. (Save the rest of the pear for another use.) Place it in the martini glass. In a mixing glass, combine the pear liqueur and nectar, brandy and lemon juice with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into the martini glass. Top off with the wine.

Makes 1 serving.

Creamed Butternut, Pear and Nut Soup

This soup, from a recipe by the International Tree Nut Council Research & Education Foundation, is a good first course or can be a meal by itself. Choose among macadamias, almonds, cashews and pecans.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or nut oil
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped nuts
• 1 leek, white part only, sliced
• 4 cups diced peeled butternut squash
• 1 Bartlett or other favorite pear, peeled and chopped
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups chicken broth
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Plain yogurt or crème fraîche, for garnish
• Toasted nuts, for garnish, optional

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the garlic, nuts and leek, and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the squash and pear and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Pour the stock into the pan, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

Transfer the mix to a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Season with pepper to taste. Spoon into large bowls and garnish with a dollop of yogurt or crème fraîche and a few toasted nuts, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Port-Poached Pears and Ricotta

A glass of port wine paired with cheese is a classic ending for a gourmet meal. This recipe, from the California Milk Advisory Board, combines them on one plate. Use a ricotta cheese with a dry, thick consistency, a bit drier than cottage cheese. If the ricotta seems to have excess liquid, put it in a fine mesh strainer or in a colander lined with cheesecloth place over a bowl. Allow it to drain in the refrigerator overnight. This will ensure that the ricotta won't run into the port sauce.

• 2 pears, such as Anjou or Bosc, peeled and cored
• 2 cups port wine
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 cup ricotta cheese

Place the pears, port and maple syrup in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer, turning the pears occasionally, until they are tender when pierced with a knife, for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the pears cool in the poaching liquid.

Remove the pears from the liquid. Cut a small slice, about 1/4-inch thick, from the rounded bottom of the pear so it will sit upright on the plate. Set aside.

Place the poaching liquid over medium-high heat and cook until it becomes thick and syrupy. Set aside and let cool.

To plate: For each serving, drizzle some of the reduced poaching liquid over an individual serving plate. Place one pear half on a plate. Fill the pear cavity with 1/4 cup ricotta. Repeat to make 4 plates. Reserve the remaining poaching liquid for another use.

Makes 4 servings.

Salty Pear and Watercress Toasts

This recipe -- which she calls an "offbeat appetizer" -- is by chef and food writer Anne Willan, developed for Tribune Media Services. If you cannot find watercress at your supermarket, look for it in Asian food markets that carry fresh produce. Arugula or spinach can substitute.

• 4 slices brioche bread or challah
• Butter, to taste
• Leaves from about 3 ounces (1 medium bunch) watercress, cleaned and dried, very coarsely chopped
• 2 ripe pears, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 to 4 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Toast the bread slices. While they still are warm, spread with butter and set onto a baking sheet. Spread the bread with the chopped watercress leaves. Top with the pear slices. Sprinkle with black pepper and the cheese. Bake until the cheese starts to melt, for 4-5 minutes.

Makes 2 servings.

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