One Fruit, The Pear, Three Delicious Ways

The pear in autumn really gets some love.

It's relegated to almost red-headed-stepchild-in-the-attic status throughout most of the year, but once the trees drop their burnished golden leaves, all attention goes to that lovely, juicy, elongated fruit.

In fact, people are going so bananas for pears right now, we've scooped up some pear recipes to whet your appetite.

Pear Upside-Down Cake from the New York Times, with the secret ingredient of maple syrup with which you caramelize the pears (mouth watering, yet?). It seems easy enough to execute, but has just enough sophistication and style that any guest to your table will be wowed.

Then there is the equally elegant Pear and Walnut Salad with Wheat Beer Vinaigrette from Vegetarian Times. Delicate slices of red skinned pears nudged against creamy crumbles of blue cheese, with the surprising sweet crunch of toasted walnuts gives a whole new meaning to salad days.

And Kitchen Caravan's tantalizing Fireside Pear and Rum Cocktail is guaranteed to take the edge off a cold winter's night. With rum, sugar, cinnamon and grated Bosc pear, it's simplicity warmed over and a unique take on one of the season's best offerings.

That you get a bunch of Vitamin C and fiber from pears, just sweetens the deal that much more.

Photo courtesy of Kitchen Caravan.