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Feasting On Pears BY DANA JACOBI FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

As more and more supermarkets sell produce grown on both sides of the equator, many of us have forgotten what it means to eat what’s “in season.” I have resisted this trend, preferring to wait until summer for cherries rather than buying Chilean ones in December. I also wait for the late summer appearance of locally grown pears.

This year, however, a pear from New Zealand shook my seasonally correct resolve. In May, I started seeing heaping displays of Taylor’s Gold pears at local grocers. At $3.99 a pound, just one of these hefty pears, with skin brown as a Bosc, would cost over two dollars. But the produce manager, whom I trust, assured me that the Taylor’s were super juicy, sweet and spicy tasting, so I succumbed. The one I bought was delicious, but such a budget-buster that I did not buy another one.

Happily, the pears from upstate New York are now abundant in my area. The Bartletts are so butter-soft and aromatic, with a hint of lemon in their flavor, that they are like eating essence of pear. I hope pears from the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere around the country are turning out to be as delicious.

To enjoy this underserved fruit more frequently, I combine several in a salad with watercress, diced turkey breast and red onion rings, topped with blue cheese dressing. Making pear butter is another option, although peeling and pureeing the pears, then cooking the puree down, can get messy. Still, this fat-free fruit spread will keep for a couple of months, sealed in glass jars in the refrigerator.

I also enjoy this pear crumble. Eating it feels virtuous because pears contain so much fiber. When there are leftovers, I have them, topped with yogurt, for breakfast in the morning, smiling at the idea of serving oatmeal with fruit in what feels like a naughty way.

Pear Crumble - Makes 10 servings.

• 6 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut in small pieces and chilled
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick-cooking or instant

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the pears with the cranberries, maple syrup, nutmeg and lemon juice until the fruit is coated evenly. Transfer the pears to a 7 x 11-inch baking dish.

In another bowl, whisk together the two flours, the sugar, cinnamon and salt to combine them. Work in the butter, using a pastry cutter or a fork. When the mixture resembles wet sand, mix in the oats. Sprinkle the topping over the pears and using your fingers, pat it firmly into an even layer.

Bake the crumble for 40-45 minutes, until the topping is brown at the edges and golden beige in the center of the pan. (This crumble does not brown on top, but a light browning can be achieved if the top is lightly coated with canola oil spray about halfway through the baking process.) Cool the crumble on a rack. Serve it warm or at room temperature. The crumble should be served the day it is made.

Per serving: 234 calories, 5 g. total fat (less than 3 g. saturated fat), 46 g. carbohydrate, 3 g. protein, 4 g. dietary fiber, 63 mg. sodium

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