The well-known Greek poet, Homer, referred to them as a "gift from the gods" in his famous epic, The Odyssey, dating back to the 8th century B.C. The Romans must have agreed with him because they proceeded to use grafting techniques to develop more than 50 varieties of pears. The Romans also introduced the pear to other parts of Europe and it became a luxurious item in the court of King Louis XIV of France. The early colonists brought them to America and planted the first pear tree in 1620. Then, like many other fruit trees, pears were introduced to California and Mexico by missionaries who planted them in their mission gardens.

Until the 18th century, pears didn't have the soft, juicy flesh we know today. It was during this time that a lot of attention was given to their cultivation. Many varieties were developed giving pears their distinctive buttery texture and sweet taste. Today, much of the world's supply is grown in China, Italy, and the United States.

Pears are not only tasty; they are also full of vitamins and minerals. Treat your taste buds to a juicy pear and you’ll be treating your body to a daily value of vitamin C and copper. Vitamin C stimulates white blood cells to fight infection and directly kills many bacteria and viruses. Copper helps protect the body from free radicals.

Pears are not only packed with flavor but also fiber, which helps regulate bowel function and lowers high cholesterol levels. This is important for people at risk of developing diabetic heart disease. Fiber also binds to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon, preventing them from damaging colon cells. Pears have no cholesterol, sodium, or saturated fats and they offer lots of potassium.

Your mother probably told you carrots are good for your eyes. That is true, but it now appears eating fruit is even more important. A study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates eating three or more servings of fruit a day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration and it is wise to start early in life. Three servings of fruit may seem like a lot, but pears can help reach that goal.

Here are a few suggestions for adding pears to your daily menu:

• Add sliced pears to morning cereal or brunch-time yogurt.
• Pear and pecan pancakes are another good breakfast. All you have to do is add mashed pears and chopped pecans to your pancake batter.
• Combine pears with watercress, leeks, and chopped walnuts for a delicious salad.
• Place pears on lettuce, add mayo and sprinkle with pecans.
• Serve pears with feta or bleu cheese for a delightful dessert or core pears and poach in apple juice.

One inventive mother relates a fail-proof method of getting her children to eat pears. She cuts them into cubes, sticks toothpicks in them, and serves them on a party tray. They think it's something special and often ask her to fix this same dish when their friends visit.

Fun facts:

• Pears are one of the few fruits that don't ripen on the tree.
• A pear tree can grow 60 ft. and may be as old as 300 years.
• Wood from a pear tree is hard and often used to make furniture.
• Oregon grows enough pears that, if laid end to end, would wrap around the world twice.
• Pears are another member of the rose family, like apricots and plums.
• Oregon has 370 pear growers who produce 800 million pears a year.
• In the 1800's people paid $20.67 for one Bartlett pear because they were so delicious and rare.
• There are over 5,000 varieties of pears in the world.
• Pear trees can produce fruit for up to 100 years.
• Pears don't float.

You can find many canned pears on the grocery shelf and all the different brands are good. The fresh ones are Anjou, Bartlett, Bosc, Comice, Forelle, and Seckel. Then there are the Royal Riviera Pears that must be ordered. They have been described as one of life's purest luxuries. Their claim is that once people taste a Royal Riviera Pear they will always look forward to the next one.

Whichever kind you choose to eat, just remember - it’s a "gift from the gods."

--Sheila O'Niell has been published in Highlights for Children, Child Life, Primary Treasure, Our Little Friend, Nature Friend Magazine, The Numismatist, Young & Alive, Sirs Discoverer and The Conqueror.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Day, Jennifer W., What Is a Fruit? NY: Golden Press, 1976. Hausman, Patricia and Hurley, Judith Bean. The Healing Foods NY: St. Martins Press, 1989.