The Sandpoint Eater: Oh, Pear!

By Marcia Pilgeram
Reader Columnist

Oh, pear — this is your time to shine! And thanks to a pair of my most favorite people, I’ve had more than my share! Though my friends Dee Ann and Smitty aren’t exactly sure of the genre of their pear tree, one thing’s for sure: it is prolifically producing pears worthy of still art or a magazine cover. I’m just one of their lucky friends who’s been reaping the rewards of their magnificent fruit.  

Dee Ann thinks her pears are Green Anjou due to their egg-shaped appearance. Unlike a Bartlett pear, an Anjou does not change color during ripening and will remain green even when fully ripened. You can check the ripening progress of an Anjou by pressing your thumb near the stem. When it yields slightly, your pear is ripe! 

Our Pacific Northwest region is teeming with pears and, according to Washington State University’s Agricultural Department, there are more than 3,000 varieties of pears grown worldwide! Of those, only 10 varieties are raised in our region, accounting for 80% of the U.S. fresh pear production. Pears fall into two categories: summer and winter. Summer pears include Bartlett and winter pears include Anjou. 

Most of the pears we eat come from Washington, Oregon and California. Pear production is a vast industry that employs more than 13,000 people, and of the 41,700 acres in U.S. production, 32,300 are in the PNW. That’s a lot of pears! 

Like apples, pears are delicious as fresh fruit and a fresh or cooked ingredient: pear butter, pear chutney, baked pears (with or without a crust), poached pears and dehydrated pears are amongst a plethora of ideas to enjoy the versatile fruit. 

I fondly remember my grandmother making green spiced pears during the holidays. Sometimes, she served them in dainty sherbet cups, and other times with a scoop of cottage cheese and topped with a small, candied crabapple. 

When I was a young ranch wife, I tried my hand at making spiced pears and crabapples. Ryanne says she still remembers the endless rows of colorful fruit-filled canning jars lining our basement shelves. And I was delighted when she asked me to whip up a batch of each for the upcoming holidays! (Back to Dee Ann’s tree I go.) 

Pears are the quintessential fall fruit, and I always look forward to a friend’s gift of those famous Royal Riviera pears from Harry and David’s (Fruit of the Month Club). They come carefully wrapped and shipped and always arrive perfectly ripe, without a single blemish. The skin on pears is delicate and, at home, I wrap my local ones in basket-type coffee filters to protect them from fingernails or stem flaws as I wait for them to ripen.  

I often prepare poached pears. Depending on the liquid used to prepare them, I serve them as savory for a first course or sweet for dessert. They’re reasonably easy to prepare and make an elegant presentation to start or end almost any meal. 

I serve them atop butter lettuce with crumbled Stilton cheese and chopped, roasted hazelnuts for the first course. I carefully plate a whole poached pear (with stem intact) atop a light custard or berry sauce for dessert.

If you don’t have friends with a pear to spare, the local markets are filled with them or you can make the short jaunt to Green Bluff, a pear lover’s paradise. It’s about the tail end of the season there, so it’s best to check their website to see what’s available: greenbluffgrowers.com.

Besides poaching and pairing with cheese and nuts, I’ve also been baking up some favorite pear recipes, mostly tarts and cakes. A guaranteed crowd pleaser is chocolate pear cake. It’s not only delicious, it’s a pretty addition to any fall menu. Here’s hoping it will become a favorite at your house as well.

Chocolate pear cake

This rich and moist cake is perfect for dessert or afternoon tea. Dress it up with a dusting of powdered sugar and serve on a pedestal stand. Serves 8-10.

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ⅓ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt 

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted 

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• ½ cup whole milk

• 1 cup chopped pecans (save a few to sprinkle on top)

• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips or good quality bar, chopped (reserve a few for the top) 

• 3 pears ripe, peeled, cored; thinly slice half a pear for top of cake, chop remaining pears into medium-sized chunks

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9-inch round springform pan, line the bottom of the springform pan with a round piece of parchment paper. Flip paper over so both sides are greased. 

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until well-blended, set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Allow to cool a bit.

To stand-up mixer, add the sugars and eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add vanilla and continue beating. Slowly add melted butter and blend well. 

Add flour mixture and milk to mixer, alternating between the two until well blended (don’t overmix). 

Add chocolate and pecans, mix well by hand. Carefully fold in pears.

Pour the (thick) cake batter into the baking pan and place pear slices on top of the cake batter.  Tap pan to countertop to settle into the pan. 

Bake for about 45 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

When cool, release the cake. Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator.