FRUIT: Roasted pears

You know that feeling of warmth and summer when you bite into a ripe, succulent pear? Your nose registers its floral scent, your taste buds its saccharine syrup.

Now add a touch of caramel. The smoky fragrance of burnt sugar. The cradle of time.

That’s what a roasted pear tastes like.

You can eat it on its own with a sprinkling of brown sugar. Or with vanilla ice cream. Or in a rubbed kale salad (recipe pending). However you indulge in this magical treat, be sure to make plenty and pass the bowl around. You won’t have leftovers.

You’ll need:

– ripe pears (all kinds work and will roast to slightly different consistencies – experiment!)

– 1 tsp olive oil per pear

– tiny pinch table salt

– freshly cracked pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Halve each pear and coat cut sides with thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle with table salt – you don’t want too much; the point of the salt is to counteract the pear’s sweetness – and a little cracked black pepper.

3. Arrange pears, cut side down, on an oven proof dish. Roast for about 40 minutes, turning once halfway, or until cut sides are golden brown and curved sides are slightly wrinkled and close to bursting.

4. NOM! Feel free to experiment with spices and other fruits (apples, plums, peaches?). You may have to adjust cooking times.