In the wild and rare category there is winter pear conserve, thimbleberry preserve and wild elderberry jelly preserve.

Entrees include a pork chop with poached winter pears and sherry wine glaze.

Dried fruits like cranberries, winter pears or the perennial favorite, chocolate, offer more inspiration.

But cherries are just for starters: the county also produces more apples, more hops, more winter pears than any other in America.

The $70 Thanksgiving menu begins with a warm country biscuit filled with goat cheese and winter pear conserve, caramelized pumpkin soup with wild rice and fresh herbs and a lobster salad with roast corn and chanterelles.

An old man, Kadir, is trying to sell his winter pears.

In the case of the 'Passe Crassane', long the favored winter pear in France, the crop is traditionally gathered at three different times: the first a fortnight or more before it is ripe, the second a week or ten days after that, and the third when fully ripe.

Hood River is one of the largest pear-growing districts in the world, especially winter pears, so look for plenty of Anjou, Bosc and Comice pears in the fall.

In 1985, this variety represented 80% of U.S. pear production while in 2004 it represented 50% of reported pear production, displaced primarily by the continuing growth of d'Anjou and Bosc pears, both winter pears more tolerant of cold than the Bartlett.