Celebrate a Sweet and Savory National Pear Month with Fresh Inspiration from Top Food Blogs

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This month, whether strolling the produce aisle or perusing popular food websites, one trend is sure to pop out: the prevalence of fresh pears. December has again been proclaimed National Pear Month by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a nod to the abundance and variety of fresh pears in season and available nationwide.

“For home cooks looking for fresh recipe ideas this holiday season, there’s no shortage of delectable pear dishes to choose from online.”

In celebration, Pear Bureau Northwest (PBNW) is spotlighting the original pear recipes of six top food bloggers on its website.

“We’re inspired by the ways our favorite bloggers feature pears,” says Cristie Mather, communications director for Pear Bureau Northwest. “For home cooks looking for fresh recipe ideas this holiday season, there’s no shortage of delectable pear dishes to choose from online.”

Six standout recipes this season come from food blogs of all styles – ranging from preserving to gluten-free cooking – and using various varieties of pears:

Pear Ginger Thumbprints, by Cara Lyons (Boston, MA), Cara’s Cravings

Pear Honey, by Brook Hurst Stephens (Seattle, WA), Learn to Preserve

Caramelized Fennel & Pear Hash, by Michelle Biehl Abendschan (Portland, OR), Je Mange La Ville

Spiced Pear Hand Pies, by Tami Hardeman (Atlanta, GA), Running with Tweezers

Individual Pear Crisps, by Megan Pence (Woodinville, WA), Country Cleaver

Pear and Cardamom Syrup, by Marnley Rodriguez-Murray (Martha’s Vineyard, MA), Cooking with Books

For additional pear recipes and inspiration, including tips on selecting pear varieties, culinary applications, or how to tell when a pear is ripe, visit www.usapears.org, and follow USA Pears on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usapears and Twitter @USApears.

About Pear Bureau Northwest/USA Pears

The Pear Bureau Northwest was established in 1931 as a nonprofit marketing organization to promote the fresh pears grown in Oregon and Washington.

Today, the United States is the third largest pear-producing country in the world, and Oregon and Washington comprise the nation's largest pear growing region with 1,600 growers producing 84% of all fresh pears grown in the United States. Pears grown in these two Pacific Northwest states are distributed under the “USA Pears” brand.

Pears are an excellent source of fiber (24% DV) and a good source of vitamin C (10% DV) for only 100 calories per medium sized pear. Sweet and juicy with no fat, no sodium, and no cholesterol, pears are a perfect choice for a snack as well as for any course of any meal of the day. Visit www.usapears.org for more pear facts and recipes.