Apples seem to get all the love, don’t they?

Let’s not forget about another REALLY delicious winter fruit — the pear.  It’s crisp, like an apple, but tends to be a little juicier.   It pairs well in cocktails, desserts, main dishes AND sides. Which means it’s REALLY versatile and easy to add to your winter dishes to liven things up a bit.

Oh, and don’t even get me started on how they’ll liven up your charcuterie boards!

Instead of a margarita, make it a spiced pear margarita.

Slice up a pear, sauté it in brown butter and, VOILA, quick, easy and flavorful dessert.

I LOVE adding fruit to salads and eat salads year ’round.  In the winter, a salad adds freshness to hearty dishes.  It’s nice to have a balance of flavors, textures and also temperatures.

Enter, this pear salad with candied walnuts.  It’s such a good side dish and goes well with Porcini Braised Chicken Thighs , Steak with Béarnaise Sauce, and Pasta Carbonara.

Next time you’re at the grocery store or farmer’s market, swing by the pears and pick a few up!  You’ll want ones that are hard, not too soft or they’ll turn to mush before you can unload your groceries.  Leave them out on your counter until they give a little when you press them.  Similar to how you test an avocado for ripeness.

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