Pittwater Life April 2023 Issue

Food Life
Pick of the Month:
Pears
Food Life
The majority of Australian
pears are grown in
Victoria, around the
Shepparton region. The size
and shape of pears varies
from small (Paradise pear) to
large (Packham) and round,
apple-shape (like Nashi) to
slender elongated (the brown
skin pear, Beurre bosc).
Buying
Different to most fruit, pears
ripen from the inside out.
Pears are best purchased
free from cuts and bruises,
firm and allowed to ripen at
room temperature. Not all
pears change colour as they
ripen so skin colour is not
a good guide either. Similar
to an avocado, gently press
the stem area; it should ‘give’
under gentle pressure.
Storing
Unripe pears should be
stored in a single layer
in a fruit basket at room
temperature out of direct
sunlight.
Once ripe, store in a single
layer in an open plastic bag
(starved of oxygen pears will
start to rot quickly from the
core) on the lowest shelf in
the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Pears are an excellent source
of vitamin C. They are rich
in important antioxidants,
flavonoids, and dietary fibre.
Also sodium-free, fat-free,
and cholesterol-free.
Pear cinnamon
cake
Serves 6
440g packet butter cake mix
2 eggs
2/3 cup full cream milk
60g butter, chopped, at room
temperature
2 pears, peeled, cored,
halved, thickly sliced
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbs icing sugar
whipped cream, to serve
1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan
forced. Grease and line
the base and side of 20cm
(base) cake pan.
2. Place the cake mix (reserve
the icing for another use),
eggs, milk and butter in
a bowl. Beat with hand
mixer until just combined.
Increase speed to high
and beat for another 2-3
minutes until the cake
batter is pale and creamy.
3. Pour the batter into the cake
pan, smooth the surface.
Arrange the pear slices,
slightly overlapping over
the top of the cake batter,
sprinkle with walnuts,
pressing them in a little so
they stick to the batter.
4. Bake for 50 minutes or until
a skewer inserted into the
centre of the cake comes
out clean. Set aside in the
pan for 10 minutes, turn out
onto a wire rack then turn
back, pear side up.
5. Combine the cinnamon
and icing sugar then dust
over the warm cake. Serve
warm or room temperature
with cream or ice cream.
In Season
April
Apples, Avocados,
Bananas, Custard apples,
Fresh Australian dates &
Pomegranates, Pineapple,
Grapes, Kiwi fruit, Limes,
Pears, Passionfruit,
Mandarins; also Bok Choy,
Green beans, Cabbage,
Capsicum, Cauliflower, Kale,
Fennel, Potatoes, Pumpkin,
Silver beet, Spinach.
68 APRIL 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991