Change of Seasons & Menu Setting

With only a few days of summer left, the weather outside is a perfect time for a picnic.  I added soup to the menu, along with one of my favorite fall local fruits-pears.

The menu included Pizza Rolls, (made with my homemade 1/2 whole wheat dough and filled with a saute of shiitake mushrooms, peppers and onions with marinara sauce, cheese and Kalamata olives), a Texas style chili (with sirloin tip steak, black beans, cumin and chili powder), and my favorite Poached Pears.  The Pizza Rolls and pears were served cold.  The soup was kept hot in a thermos preheated with boiling water.

I purchased the Asian Pears (grown in West Virginia) yesterday at our local farmers market. 

Poached Pears

(Serves 6)

4 pears, peeled, cored and halved

Bring juice, sugar and seasonings to a simmer in a saucepan.  Add pears.  Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.
16-18 ounce apple juice or cider (I've even substituted homemade apple jack)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 anise seeds
1-2 inch orange peel
Serve with juice.

Our picnic today was at Audra (West Virginia) State Park near Buckhannon.  We find a favorite secluded spot behind a large rock to set our table. The acorns were dropping all around.

There were some campers at the park, but no swimmers today and only Bob and I enjoying a meal. I'm hoping picnicking hasn't become a lost art.