The Fruit Whisperer

This is a serious topic at my house—knowing when to cut into a perfectly ripened piece of fruit. There is a fine line between unripened and overripe. Here are a few ideas that may help widen that window of use for your pears. Are you ever stuck, trying to make a different salad? Try slicing a ripe pear with feta or blue cheese. Has that pear on the counter over-ripened? Don't fret, chop it up and add it to a spicey soup or make a decandent dessert like my Roasted Pears with Raspberry Sauce which is ideal during the holiday season!

Roasted Pears and Raspberry Sauce
by George Hirsch | 4 Four Servings

4 ripe Bosc or Anjou pears
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 cup seedless raspberry preserves
2 Tablespoons orange juice
4 sprigs of fresh mint

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut pears lengthwise into half, remove the cores.  Grease a non stick pan with butter.  Place quartered pears in pan and top with cinnamon sugar.  Cover pears and bake for 8-12 minutes or until slightly soft.  The time will vary according to level of ripeness.  Remove from oven and cool.

In a sauce pan simmer three fourths of the raspberries, the preserves, and orange juice for 4-5 minutes.  Press the sauce through a strainer, discarding the seeds.  

Pour the sauce evenly onto four dessert dishes, topping each with two pear halves.  Add the remaining raspberries on top of pears.  Top with fresh mint leaves.

Olives Gone Wild

I love olives in every which way they can be served; marinated with herbs and garlic, chopped into a tapanade, and don't forget sliced topping a bruschetta

Then there's art with olives! It’s just amazing how much olives can imitate life!

Every time I walk past a piece of Godard artwork I find myself intrigued how he pulls real life stories out of a personified olive or peice of fruit - with his twist of course. I hope you enjoy his work as much as I have. And if you have not had an opportunity to see one in person, here's a taste below.

Briefly about Godard

Known as the "Rock Star of the Art World" is currently the #1 best selling artist in the U.S. Godard's work is highly collected by private collectors, and people from all walks of life. Godard's imaginative world of art is seen by millions of people each month world wide such as cruise lines, galleries, hotels, television, magazines and countless merchandising kiosks and stores. Godard's world of art is a lighthearted perspective of life that surrounds us, mirroring our lives through martinis with animated olives, drunken grapes, dancing strawberries, and the good life. Godard's unique portrayal of fun is an exciting combination of imagination and often subtle humor which evoke and engage the creative side in "Olive" us. Today Michael Godard is considered one of the most prolific and influential artists of our time.