Consuming
Thoughts
by
Fay Strickier
Penn State Extension
Home Economist for
Berks Co.
Today’s consumers look for
foods that have great taste and
good nutrition. Pears measure up
on both counts. High amounts of
natural sugars, fructose, and glu
cose are present in pears. At the
same time, a 166 gram pear, with
skin, provides 2.32 grams of
crude fiber of which 41 percent is
pectin.
Another very important nutri
ent is potassium, and the same
166 gram pear contains 208 milli
grams. Potassium is necessary for
maintaining heartbeat, muscle
contraction, nerve transmission,
and carbohydrate and protein
metabolism. With only 98 cal
ories in a 166 gram pear, this
fruit provides a calorie-light, deli
cious, and healthy snack.
Pears are grown by Pennsylva
nia growers but 98 percent of the
nation’s pear crop is produced in
the West Coast states of Oregon,
Washington, and California.
There are many pear varieties
but only eight specific kinds of
USA Pears are usually available
in most stores during the year.
Each variety has an identifiable
shape, color, and unique flavor of
its own. Learn to identify and ap
preciate each for its particular
character and great taste!
Pears are one of the few fruits
that do not mature well if allow
ed to ripen on the tree. As a re
sult, they are picked before they
are ripe. Then they are carefully
packed, stored and shipped.
FALL ISSUE - SEPTEMBER 20
ORGANIC DAIRY PRODUCTION
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makes them successful?
University research
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Breed and cooperative news and views.
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usually still unripened. This is
the reason you will often find
firm, unripened pears when you
buy them.
Let them stand a few days at
room temperature. As they ripen,
changes occur on the inside of the
fruit that greatly increase the
sugar and juice content. Don’t al
ways count on color changes to
let you know when your pears
are best for delicious eating.
Some varieties will change color
and others do not.
Pears can be used any way you
would use an apple. Here’s a new
per recipe for you to try.
QUICK PEAR KUCHEN
1 (29-ounce) can pears OR VA
pounds fresh pears
1 package hot roll mix
V* cup warm water
legg
1 tablespoon melted butter
Vi cup sugar
VA teaspoons cinnamon
Peel and slice fresh pears or
drain canned pears and slice, if
halves are used. Prepare roll mix
with water and egg as directed on
package. Spread in greased
13x9x2-inch pan. Brush with
melted butter.
Arrange pear slices in rows
over dough, pressing in slightly.
Combine sugar and cinnamon
and sprinkle over pears. Let rise
until doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake at 375 degrees 40 to 45 min
utes, or until golden brown.
Makes 12 servings.
Deadline:
or 717-626-1164
Pumpkin Pie
SCHAEFFERSTOWN (Leba
non Co.) Pumpkin pie bakers
should take note that they can
enter their home-baked pies in
the annual pie-baking contest at
the Pennsylvania German Folk
life Festival on Saturday, Sept.
13, at the Schaeffer Farm in
Schaefferstown. Pies must be
taken to the festival information
booth by 11 a.m. on the 13th with
a copy of the complete recipe that
lists ail ingredients (including pie
crust) as well as all preparation
steps. First-, second-, and third-
Booklet Features
Bonus Dairy
Coverage
For Producers
September 4
Focus;
into organic dairy
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 30, 2003-B9
Baking Contest Announced
place winners will each receive a
medal and a free, one-year family
membership in Historic Schaef
ferstown, Inc.
The Pennsylvania German
Folklife Festival is a two-day
event conducted on Saturday,
Sept. 13 and Sunday, Sept. 14
from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visitors will
enjoy 18th and 19th century
crafts, cooking, baking, and
apple butter making, cider press
ing, rock crushing, saw milling,
live musical entertainment, free
tours of the Schaeffer House, and
much more.
All this is in
cluded in the
$5 person ad
mission fee.
Children
under 11 with
an accompanying adult are free.
Discounted two-day admission
passes available. For more in
formation, call (717) 949-2244.
The Festival is part of Historic
Schaefferstown, Incorporated
(HSI), a nonprofit educational
organization whose mission is to
collect, preserve, study, and dis
seminate of the history and folk
culture of the Pennsylvania Ger
mans in South Central Pennsyl
vania, with particular focus on
Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania.
Schaefferstown is located ap
proximately 20 miles east of Her
shey, 25 miles west of Reading,
and 19 miles north of Lancaster
at the intersection of PA Routes
501, 419, and 897. The Schaeffer
Farm is located at 213 S. Carpen
ter Street (Route 501).
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265 E. Meadow Valley Rd., Lititz, PA 17543
717-733-7160 • 717-627-6886
1-800-247-2107
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