Pear Harvest

My pear trees are literally dripping with fruit, the branches sagging with luscious treasure. It's time once again, to harvest the bounty. Pears are picked while they are still green and will ripen on racks in the cool confines of my basement throughout the autumn months.

I can tell the fruit is ready to be picked when the pear breaks away from the branch with ease, in fact, so easy, I have to be careful about dropping them. I easily fill my basket several times and have to get the ladder to reach the top- most branches.

I firmly believe in growing as much of my own food as possible, cooking and eating seasonally. I preserve what we can't eat right away and that ensures the flavors of summer can be enjoyed year round. Pears are a versatile fruit, they make wonderful muffins and breads, pear butter, salads and poached for dessert. No grocery store pear can compare with the flavor of home grown. In fact, there is nothing more sensual than biting into any fruit, still warm from the sun, fragrant with the ripeness of summer, and juice running down your chin. Heaven has to be a garden!