Cooking Corner Tips To Help You Making A Pear-Fect Fruit Even More Delectable (NAPSA)—For a luscious and nutritious dessert, few fruits can compare to the mouthwatering pear. This tasty fruit has been cultivated for about 4,000 years and there are now more than 5,000 varieties. Many would agree that the tastiest is the Royal Riviera pear. During the 30s, this pear’s extralarge size, extreme juiciness and smooth, creamy flesh made it a favorite among the patrons of Europe’s grand hotels and luxurious resorts. In addition to the pears’ exemplary size and taste, they have a distinct look: a rotund body and short neck. They’re usually green in color with a red blush, but ripen to a soft gold with a red blush whenreadyto eat. Royal Riviera pears remain one of the most popular gifts among Harry and David customers. Harry and David, America’s largest mail marketer of gourmet gift fruits, fine chocolates, baked goods, confections and home decor accessories, began by marketing these highly desirable pears during the Great Depression. At peak their orchards now harvest 550 tons of pears per day, picking an average of 2.2 million pears daily in a 24-day period. Here’s a pear-fect recipe from Harry and David for pears in chocolate sauce. Royal Riviera Pears with Chocolate Sauce 4 Royal Riviera Pears 1 tablespoon lemon juice 4 cups water 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa Easy to make and yet decadenitly delicious, Pears in Chocolate Sauce offer a quick but memorable dessert. % cup water 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions Peel the pears and core them from the base, leaving the stems intact. Brush with the lemon juice. In a large saucepan, bring the 4 cups of water to a boil, then stand the pears in the water. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. In a me- dium saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, water, cornstarch and vanilla. Mix well, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick- ened. Place the pears in indi- vidual dessert dishes, and spoon the sauce down the sides. Serve warm. Makes4 servings. You can find other recipes or order these delectable pears and other delicious gifts from Harry and David by calling 1-877-3221200 or visiting www.harryand david.com.
