The Pear Tree

Welcome to my world, Greetings, go on a journey with me. I'd like to take a little of your time. Have a conversation about a wonder; a wonder that is so uniquely intertwined. It is a mystery that is pondered throughout history. It's forever etched in my mind, the wonderous, beautiful pear tree. Its flowers are special in the springtime equal to a rose. Bearing fruit like the shape of a distinctive woman's beauty seeking an artist imaginative pose. In my journey of research to solve this mystery; something so magnificent to so many to see so such love. In many cultures, the symbol pear tree represents divine sustenance, abundance, and longevity. The ancient Chinese believe that the pear tree was and is a symbol of immortality, I'm pleased to call my story " The Pear Tree, My Gift of the Three. " Follow me to gift #1.

Encyclopedia Geneva.

As a child growing up in Detroit, Michigan. My Grandmother, Geneve aka Gee had every kind of fruit tree and fruit vine that you can imagine in her back yard of three lots. Picture this a five foot 1-inch medium framed lady who loved gardening and reading her numerous collections of Encyclopedia's. She had at least seven to ten different selections; everything from gardening, building, cooking and more. I remember summer vacation at her house; helping her with her garden and numerous projects that we would do over the summer vacation from school. Grandma Gee was a very witty, wise woman who you could learn about anything. One thing was caring for her prized pear tree which made her well known pear preserves. She made the best biscuits and yeast rolls in town. Her pear preserves made them extra special and so worth the wait! She put so much love in caring for her trees and delights in her garden. A combination of the morning coffee's left over coffee grounds, eggshells from the scrambled or fried eggs from breakfast and the banana peels from breakfast used on someone's cereal helped to make sure that her soil would be rich. These things provided the nutrients along with the love she added as she mixed them in the soil. Around the end of August and the first of September when it was time to go back to school; we started to prepare the trees for harvest and canning for the preserves for winter and spring. My Grandmother had her pressure cooker, mason jars and all the things we'd need to get ready pots, bowls, knives, flour, sugar, and spices. We washed all the mason jars setting them aside as we prepared the oozy gooey pear mixture. We got all our pears together picking the best ones from the tree. We washed, peeled, sliced, and using her secret recipe to give it that one of a kind special taste; mixed and added the mixture to the jar's one by one. In the pressure cooker 25 to 35 minutes and you're done! Good eating winter, spring and through until the next harvest. Get ready homemade biscuits and rolls. (Smile!)

My gift of the Pear Tree #2

My Veteran Uncle Johny had the best pear and not to mention peach tree. You could take your pick. with my Mama's homemade ice water pie crust rolled out on a brown paper bag. There's nothing like patting your feet to a good pear cobbler. My best memories are good, hot, fried fish and good cobbler. My Uncle who had survived the Vietnam war could catch any kind of fish. His skills from the army meant that he would catch good fresh fish daily from his house near the river at Jefferson on Lemay in Detroit, Michigan. You looked forward to the stories of Vietnam, a place in Southeast Asia that had beautiful people, culture, and phenomenal forms of assorted art. During those chats we would make that good homemade pie crust for that mouthwatering pear cobbler. This is my Mama's mess free best pie crust ever and for the good times. You will need 2 to 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 to 2cups of butter flavored shortening, one teaspoon of salt, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of ice water. According to the size pan your using a thirteen by 9-inch baking dish will hold your ingredients nicely. Mix flour, salt and shortening together with a large fork little by little to form little balls. once you have combined ingredient start to add ice water, add enough water to moisten the dough; rolling dough in the bowl until you form a ball. Wash your hands and lightly oil your baking pan. Pre heat your oven to 350 and set your baking dish on the stove. Now get a brown paper bag, here's the fun part. Tear off the bottom of the bag and lay the bag flat on your countertop or table. Sprinkle flour on the center of the bag, if you have a rolling pin, flour it, if not get a smooth glass and flour it well. Place your dough in the center and roll it around until it's coated with flour. move the dough around and roll it out. Sprinkle with flour until it nice and even, fold your paper bag and get ready for those beautiful pears. You will need nine to twelve nice firm pears, peeled, thickly sliced in a bowl. Season them to your taste. 1 to 2 cups of white or brown sugar, two tablespoons to one-fourth of flour or cornstarch, 1 to 2 tablespoons of nutmeg, one teaspoon cinnamon, 3 to 4 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 1 to 2 sticks of melted butter. mix well with your pear slices. Take your pie crust and put it in your pan, spread it until the dough hangs over the sides of the pan, this will make your top crust. Pour your pear mixture into your pan and put the edge over the top. Sprinkle with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Place in the 350 oven for 35 to 45 min or until golden brown. Time for one more of Uncle Johnie's stories. Happy Eating (Smile)

My gift of the Pear Tree#3.

I saved the best for last, but I'll never forget Mrs. Mayes: she was five feet tall, a church mother who wore those big pretty hats on Sunday. Who by twelve noon everyday had her dinner on for her family with something sweet for dessert? A cake, a pie, a cobbler but she made one thing from her bigger than her house pear tree. Yes! her pear tree was bigger than her house. She had many recipes for her pears but this one was uniquely name; I called it "Pudding in a Pot" or aka Pear Lasagna. I had the pleasure of moving next door to Mrs. Mayes when my children were young. I was still learning how to be a good mother, Mrs. Mayes was not only my landlady before I bought my first home, but she was also a mentor as well. She came from down South and knew how to go to a refrigerator, freezer or cabinet and make the best meals ever out of almost nothing. Her food would leave you full and satisfied. Her prized giant pear tree allowed her creativity to go to new levels and her imagination made wonders in food. Pudding in a Pot was a combination of pears smothered in a creamery buttery sweet, seasoned sauce in between layers of flaky rolled pie crust. She would peel and slice ten to twelve pears into medium slices. In a large pot add 1 and 1 half to 2 cups of water, 1 can of Borden's sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup of regular milk, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 to 2 cups white or brown sugar, 3 to 4 tablespoons of vanilla extract, 1 to 2 tablespoons of nutmeg, 2 sticks of butter. Allow mixture to come to a boil and turn off the heat. Stir until all ingredients are mixed. Set aside and get your pie crust mixture or if you desire you can purchase ready-made piecrust. Get a large pot and butter the bottom and sides with butter or butter flavored shortened. Add a layer of dough on the bottom and cover with pear mixture add another layer of pie dough follow by another layer of your pear mixture; continue until you have scraps of pie crust. sprinkle top with butter sugar and cinnamon. bake at 350 for 45 to 60 minutes until golden brown and the aroma overcomes your house! Enjoy with your favorite vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Yum!

I'm proud to say a pear tree has been a part of my life since childhood. It has done everything from holding the clothesline to dry the family's laundry, shade the babies as they took a summer's nap. A peaceful place for you to think out a problem or come to an answer about how to solve one. So, I bless and thank you today as you have allowed me to share my memories of "The Pear Tree". These memories have and will forever shape my life to see life's possibilities. To see from the eyes of another to give me new vision of the way it could be. If I shift my life's thoughts just a little. Things can be fuller.

Beverly A Rugley McClore