Category Archives: Events

5 Ways You Can Celebrate World Pear Day 2017

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2017 marks the second year we are officially celebrating World Pear Day, which kicks off National Pear Month in December.  We are excited to share the festivities with pear lovers around the world on December 2. Beginning in New Zealand, people will have the opportunity to taste a variety of USA-grown pears via pop-up sampling opportunities in more than 24 countries including China, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico and the U.S. for 24 hours of continuous sampling and promotion of USA Pears. For those of you looking to pear-take in the fun, here are five ways you can celebrate World Pear Day!   1. Use the hashtag #WorldPearDay! Part of what makes World Pear Day so exciting is the chance to connect with pear lovers across the globe, and the best way to do that is by joining in on Continue reading →

Staying Fit and Healthy Through the Holidays

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Too many indulgences and fewer workouts can wreak havoc with your energy level and your waistline this time of year. However, there are simple ways to create balance that don’t require sacrificing your favorite goodies, or even stepping into a gym. Check out my realistic three-step strategy for staying fit through the holidays. Step One: Whip up some healthy holiday dishes Go ahead and enjoy your very favorite holiday foods prepared traditionally. But commit to lightening up others. For example, replace one pie with baked pears, or a mock pear cobbler. Simply sauté chopped ripe pears over low heat in a little water seasoned with a bit of fresh squeeze lemon juice and fresh grated ginger. Top with a healthy “crumble” made from mixing rolled oats and ground cinnamon into almond butter. Or instead of creamed spinach, serve a fresh Continue reading →

Cheers to Wine and Pears

Brittany By on

Last weekend, some of us here at Pear HQ drove out to the lovely valley of Hood River to sample pears at the Columbia Gorge Wine & Pear Fest. As you and I both know, pears and wine are BFFs. They’re meant for each other from the start: they even grow in the same area and climate. We sampled Green and Red Anjou pears to eager attendees, teaching them how to “Check the Neck” for ripeness so that they can enjoy pears at their sweet and juicy peak at home. Whether they were drinking Pinot Gris or a red blend, hard cider or Syrah, wine aficionados agreed that pears and grapes are a match made in heaven. (Which is what some visitors call Hood River, not incidentally.) Some of our pear growers joined us to sing the praises of their favorite Continue reading →

Pear Excellence 2013

Brittany By on

This year’s Pear Excellence Culinary Student Competition was another pear-fect success, with talented culinary students from across Canada showing off their flair with the pear for a panel of esteemed judges. Held in Toronto in April, the contest celebrated its sixth year. Culinary students Diego Beltran, Rebekah Roberts, Allegra Jimenez, Connie McKibbon, and Aaron Lackie faced off for the National Grand Prize, showcasing pears in dishes savory and sweet, from gluten-free chocolate chai cake to grilled flatbread. The judges chose Allegra’s “Pearfect Pearing” dish for the grand prize. The dish paired a savory cheesecake with poached Bosc pears, pear chips, and a candied beet salad for a plate the judges said was innovative, well-executed, and an exceptional blending of flavors. All the regional finalists were applauded for their creativity and execution. Their dishes truly put USA Pears on a pedestal: Continue reading →

Feast Portland

Brittany By on

Last weekend, the big dogs of the food world came to play in Portland, and we were fortunate to be able to celebrate the plentiful produce and culinary creativity of our lovely region with them at Feast Portland. This food-focused festival, which took place in restaurants and event venues across town, was a smashing success, in our humble opinion. (And in the opinion of one not-so-local foodie, Adam Rapoport, editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit!) Here in our hometown, local ingredients were celebrated with gusto: local wines and microbrews, of course, but also hazelnuts, berries, and pears. Widmer Brothers even flaunted the versatility of Oregon’s state fruit (ahem) with the official brew of the weekend, Krystal Pear, a filtered American-style wheat ale fermented with Northwest pears. It was delightful, natch. Feast kicked off on Thursday night with the Sandwich Invitational. We were Continue reading →

Pear Blossom Festival

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This weekend marks the 59th annual Pear Blossom Festival in Medford, Oregon. Medford is one of the four growing regions of USA Pears, especially famous for its picture-perfect Comice pears. (You may know them from gift companies like Harry & David.) The Pear Blossom Festival celebrates the annual appearance of pear blossoms around the area with an arsenal of activities, including the Pear Blossom Parade, a 5k run, a street fair, and the Pear A-Fare, which features locally produced wines, fruit, chocolates, and more. The festival is a great celebration, rich with the community pride of Southern Oregon. It seems that everyone in the region is involved in this festival, from the preschool-aged Blossom King and Queen to the families volunteering behind the scenes to put on the event. Even Spock himself participated back in 1967 as Grand Marshal of the Pear Blossom Parade Continue reading →

The Time is Ripe for Pears: Seattle

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We ended The Time is Ripe for Pears Tour with a bang in Seattle, visiting a few of the city’s best restaurants and serving up some pear-fect pear and cheese samples for cold, hungry shoppers at Pike Place Market. On our first day, we lunched at the restaurant of an old pal: Chef Ethan Stowell. Lucky us! Tavolata, his rustic yet sleek Italian joint in Belltown, was indeed a treat. We started off with a simple, sparkling drink – the Bosc Pear Spritz. Refreshing and light, this cocktail got the party started! Before the main course, we happily slurped down a bowl of Chef Stowell’s  Sunchoke and Pear Soup, which he shared with us back in 2006 (recipe here). Instead of a sprinkling of chanterelle mushrooms and bacon, the bowls were set before us with a plump scallop sitting smack Continue reading →

The Time is Ripe for Pears: Portland

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Last week, we brought The Time is Ripe for Pears tour to our hometown, Portland! On Thursday, we were treated to an amazing luncheon at Castagna, where the food looked more like art. Take the starter, for example. We were presented with this of-the-earth ceramic bowl (which I secretly wanted to smuggle home in my purse – after licking it clean, of course). The bowl contained drops of tangy yogurt, cubed Comice pear, and wisps of fennel. I was excited with this unusual starter, but it wasn’t done yet! Our server placed a box in the center of our table that contained little packets. Pear packets. No joke – they were made of dehydrated pear and filled with granola, and we were told to crumble them over our  yogurt. Gladly! The meal continued on in a similarly jaw-dropping fashion. One of Continue reading →

The Time is Ripe for Pears: Chicago

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From Philadelphia, we headed west to the chilly city of Chicago on our sixth stop in The Time is Ripe for Pears Tour. The city’s trademark wind was in full force, but so was the enthusiasm of local pear fans! On our first night in Chicago, I was treated to a delicious local delicacy: a pizza pot pie. Yep, that’s right; it’s all the tasty toppings of a pizza—plum tomatoes, peppers, garlic, whole mushrooms, sausage—wrapped up inside a doughy bundle and set inside a dish to bake. When it’s finished, they bring it to your table inside the dish and gently coax it out onto your plate. It’s so good! If you’re ever in the Windy City, check it out: Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. And order the Mediterranean Bread! On Thursday, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the Continue reading →

The Time is Ripe for Pears: Philadelphia

Brittany By on

Last week, we visited the City of Brotherly Love: Philadelphia! (Where I learned that “philadelphia” literally means “brotherly love” in Greek. Duh.) We saw the Liberty Bell, the famous LOVE sign, and lots of beautiful fall colors. For our first stop, we ventured across the river to neighboring Cherry Hill, New Jersey to share ripe pears with eager shoppers at the local Wegmans grocery store. What a gorgeous place! I’m envious there aren’t any Wegmans stores in my area—I’d be shopping there now. Lots of busy moms—and their savvy kids—were out on this Monday morning. Watch our video to see what they thought of USA Pears! After that stop, we swung by John’s Roast Pork to sample their famous (and deservedly so) cheesesteaks, answering lots of questions about our T-shirts along the way. Again, we commented that the sandwiches would have Continue reading →