Don’t disdain our deceptively useless local pears, for as mottled and hard as they are, they can be used in lots of yummy recipes. Folks just don’t seem to be aware of their potential since I’m seeing lots of pear-laden trees in my neighborhood dropping their fruit; it sits there rotting and getting nibbled by squirrels and birds. What a waste.

That’s to my advantage, though, for my kind neighbors have urged me to help myself to what no one else seems to want. Believe me, I do, and then I spend many happy evenings experimenting and concocting.

The particular variety I have access to, sand pears, go straight from golf-ball hard (even when ripe) to rotten. So ripe or not, they are really the dickens to prepare for use. Have you ever tried peeling a golf ball? I guess that’s one of the reasons no one seems to want them.

PEGGY STANFORD

But after a lot of trial and error, I have mastered the art of making sand pears recipe-friendly, and fairly easily, too.

The secret is in partially cooking them before peeling and coring.

Here’s how. First scrub and quarter them. Then place them in a saucepan with enough water to just cover.

Bring water to a boil and simmer until a fork barely pierces them. Do not let the pears get mushy. Remove from water and cool, peel, and core.

Take your pick of these recipes and use up some of those pears from your own trees, or make the most of the supermarket pears (no need to precook) that are now in season.

The first recipe, Fresh Pear Upside-Down Cake, would make a super dessert for your Labor Day cook-out when topped with vanilla ice cream. Then for an autumn breakfast special, serve Pear-Pecan Coffee Cake, or slather your toast with Gingered Pear Marmalade.

For dessert, dazzle them with delectable Brandied Pears or a Scandinavian- inspired Cardamom - Pear Pie.

Fresh Pear Upside-Down Cake

6 large pears

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/3 cups flour

1 cup milk

Peel, core, and slice the pears (see method in text for cooking pears). Set aside. Put 1/2 cup of the butter in a 9 x 13-inch glass pan. Turn on oven to 350 degrees. Place pan in oven to melt butter as oven preheats.

Remove pan from oven. Spread melted butter evenly on bottom. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter; arrange pear slices evenly over brown sugar.

Cream the remaining butter with the granulated sugar, eggs, orange rind, and vanilla. Add the flour alternately with milk, mixing well after each addition. Pour mixture over pear slices.

Baked at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until center of cake tests done. Invert onto serving platter. Serve warm or cool with vanilla ice cream. Makes 12 servings.

Pear-Pecan Coffee Cake

1 cup butter or margarine at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon EACH baking powder and baking soda

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups diced fresh pears

Pecan Topping (recipe follows)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla, followed by egg. Beat until smooth.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture; then add sour cream. Mix just to blend after each addition. Do not overbeat.

Fold in pears. Spread mixture in a greased 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with Pecan Topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. While still warm, cut into squares. Serve immediately. Serves 6-8.

Gingered Pear Marmalade

4 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

4 cups finely chopped pears

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

7 1/2 cups sugar

1 pouch liquid pectin

1 teaspoon butter

Cover ginger with water. Simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and discard liquid.

Meanwhile, core, peel and chop pears. Measure 4 cups into large saucepan. Add lemon juice and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Add drained ginger and lemon juice. Add sugar and bring to a full, rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Quickly squeeze in pouch of liquid pectin. Add butter. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat and ladle into sterilized jars. Cover with lids and screw on rings. Invert for 2 minutes. Return to upright position and allow to cool. The lids will make a popping sound as the jars cool. This indicates a vacuum seal. Makes 8 eight-ounce jars of marmalade.

Pecan Topping

for coffee cake

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter or margarine at room temperature

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Work in the butter until combined. Stir in the nuts.

Brandied Pears

8 fresh pears

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons peach brandy

Whipped cream

3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

Peel, core and halve pears. In a large skillet, combine water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Add pears halves and reduce heat. Cook, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove from heat; add brandy. Cover and chill pears in poaching liquid. Serve in glass fruit bowls with liquid poured over; top with whipped cream and toasted almonds.

Cardamom

Pear Pie

Pastry for a 9-inch two crust pie

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

3 to 3 1/2 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced fresh pears

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, chilled (optional)

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water (optional)

In small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. Measure pears into a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Add sugar mixture to pears and toss lightly to coat the slices. Turn mixture into pastry-lined 9-inch pie plate. Press pears lightly in place.

Dot the filling with the butter cut into small pieces. Adjust top crust over filling. Flute edges together to seal. Cut slits to allow steam to escape.

Brush egg yolk mixture on crust to make it shiny. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until pears test tender when probed through a slit in the crust and crust is browned.

Serve warm. Serves 6-8.