Pear Bureau Northwest Provides Menu Inspirations
Portland, Ore. (February, 2008) — Foodservice operators are discovering how fresh USA Pears can add value to dishes from salads and entrées to sides and desserts. A number of innovative chains and independent chefs have found success adding fresh pears to their menu.
Two national chains have found success with pear salad additions to the menu. The Cheesecake Factory’s Weight Management Salads™ selections include the Pear and Endive Salad with grilled chicken, blue cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, candied pecans tossed with a tangy vinaigrette. Panera Bread’s Orchard Harvest Salad features fresh pears, leafy greens, gorgonzola, dried cherries and toasted pecans in a cherry balsamic vinaigrette.
Chef-owner Rod Worth of The Peasant and the Pear, Danville, CA, features fresh pear dishes throughout each section of the menu, such as the Pear Quesadilla appetizer with two cheeses served with a tangy pear chutney on the side. Fez Restaurant in Phoenix, AZ, sautés fresh pears in cinnamon to top their signature Angus beef burger served with crispy onions and feta cheese on ciabatta bread.
To further inspire menu developers, the Pear Bureau Northwest recently released a set of recipe cards designed to illustrate how Fresh USA Pears can add color, flavor and texture to a wide variety of menu items all year long. Refreshing salads such as Tangy Thai Lime Salad, savory entrées including Pork with Pears and Roasted Vegetables, and flavorful sides such as Pear Chicken Bisque, are just three recipes from the Pear Bureau’s own kitchens and from innovative operators you’ll find in the full color ten card recipe set.
To obtain a free set of foodservice recipes for Fresh USA Pears, request one online at http://store.usapears.com or contact the Pear Bureau Northwest by mail at 4382 SE International Way, Suite A, Milwaukie, OR, 97222-4635, or call (503) 652-9720. For more information and recipe ideas, please visit www.usapears.org.
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The Pear Bureau Northwest is a non-profit marketing organization established in 1931 to promote the fresh USA Pears grown in Washington and Oregon. The Bureau represents 1,700 growers who produce 84 percent of the nation’s fresh pear crop, and develops national and international markets for Northwest pear distribution. For more information, visit www.usapears.org.
