Pear

Here's a fresh take on the classic combination of fruit and cheese. Placing parchment on top of the pears as they are poaching helps keep them moist and submerged in the poaching liquid.

Top this with dollops of chilled whipped cream or scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Two favorite fall fruits turn up in an interesting, herb-scented side dish.

At Aux Truffes, the poached pears are brushed with a sabayon-like mixture and then broiled. This version is much simpler to prepare and just as pretty and delicious.

A beautiful dessert that's just right for the season. Begin making it at least three hours and up to one day ahead. What to drink: Marsala or Asti.

Caramelized pears plus dried apricots, cranberries, and prunes add intense fruit flavor to this stuffing from Rochelle Palermo Torres, a freelance recipe developer and cooking teacher.

Melting the chocolate in the pear poaching liquid makes an instant sauce.

Great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Roasting tones down the sharpness of the fennel and enhances the sweetness of the pears in this salad. The pears also combine with balsamic vinegar to make a delicious dressing without much added fat.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The traditional apple, walnut and chopped celery salad is updated with a yogurt and low-fat mayonnaise citrus dressing, pine nuts and Cajun seasoning.

Chinese five-spice powder, cardamom and pears give an intriguing flavor.

Pear and Dried Cherry Frangipane Cake Recipe