You may think this is National Use-Fruit-From-Your-Garden month. First we had the Pear Relish, and now I am offering you Pear Salad and Pear Bread made with fresh pears.
Today’s recipes are generously shared with us by Judy Davies of South Main Street Baptist Church in Greenwood. This church is part of Lakelands Baptist Association, and Phil McMinn has been the pastor since January of this year.
But before we talk about pears, let me tell you about Judy.
A native of Virginia, Judy met Charles Davies when he was with the Navy in Norfolk. They married and moved to Greenwood, where he ran the engineering design and graphics department at Piedmont Technical College until his retirement. He says she has been trying unsuccessfully for all these years to teach him to speak English instead of Southern.
Charles and Judy have three children: Jennifer, in Honea Path; Stephanie, in Washington, D.C.; and Erett, in Charlotte.
Judy Davies
For some time, Judy has been active in the ESL (English-as-a-Second-Language) ministry at South Main Street Baptist. She is a literacy missions associate with the North American Mission Board, which administers the program. In this position, Judy and the five or six other trainers in the South Carolina Baptist Convention go to churches, giving 15 hours of instruction to those who will teach the program locally.
The emphasis is on “survival language” – teaching the foreign visitors how to communicate in such subjects as greetings, health, employment, etc. – and uses both secular and biblical instructional material. Locally, in the program sponsored by Lakelands Association, the ESL group has had more than 1,000 people from 30 countries to take the course. Many of their students are Japanese because of the Fuji company in the area, but there are also many Hispanics, Chinese, etc. The teachers do not have to know the native language of the students.
Good for Judy and all those who do similar work. And now back to pears.
Almost everyone likes pears, and these recipes are good ways to use them fresh.
When making the salad, you can have all the separate ingredients ready, then combine and toss them at the last minute before enjoying this crisp and crunchy salad for… Sunday Dinner.
Pear Salad
2 pears, peeled and very thinly sliced
Lettuce, spinach, or mixed baby greens
⅓ cup dried cranberries
½ cup walnuts or other nuts, chopped
½ cup finely crumbled bleu cheese or other cheese
Raspberry vinaigrette or other salad dressing
Combine all ingredients except the dressing in a large salad bowl. Immediately before serving, toss with the dressing. Serves 3-4.
Pear Bread
3 cups flour (for part of this, you may substitute whole wheat or oatmeal swirled in the food processor)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil (or a combination of oil and applesauce)
2 cups sugar (white, a combination of brown and white, or sugar substitute for 1/2 cup)
3 eggs or egg substitute
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups chopped pears
Sift dry ingredients together. Add other ingredients; mix. Bake in 2 greased and floured loaf pans about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Freezes well.