For all its imposing drama, this witty tower of pears is surprisingly easy to make. It adds a sophisticated touch to a dinner party or special event.
- Urn or other base
- Florist cone and block of foam
- Small pears such as Seckel (unripe)
- Toothpicks
- Decorative moss
- Greening pins
- ½-inch post or dowel rod
- Ribbon (optional)
Secure the block of foam in your base, trimming to fit. Place your post into the bottom of the cone, and then place this assembly into the foam block. Cover the cone and the base foam with moss, using greening pins. Place pears around the cone in concentric circles, starting at the bottom. Secure the pears with toothpicks. Fill in any gaps with more moss. Add ribbon if you like. You can add bunches of grapes at the base, secured with the greening pins, but note that grapes are fragile and will not stay fresh as long as the pears will. The less ripe your pears, the longer they will last, usually a week or more, depending on room temperature.
Tower of Pears