Old-Fashioned Fresh Pear and Cheese Salad

This pear salad is inspired by the simple Southern pear salads many of us remember from childhood. Traditionally, we made ours with canned pear halves, this fresh version uses ripe pears we picked from our tree.

We must have had about fifty pounds, there was much more, but you should’ve seen what the birds got. After we picked the pears, we had to peel them, oh boy, what fun!

Our old-fashioned pear salad uses sweet pear halves resting on a bed of crisp green lettuce. Each pear is placed cut side up, making a little hollow for a luscious spoon of mayonnaise and a mound of freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese.

The pale, juicy fruit, creamy mayonnaise, and golden cheese look lovely against the bright green lettuce, giving this satisfyingly simple dish a beauty all its own. Top it with a bright red cherry or two, and you have a princess of a salad! Every bite brings together the sweetness of the pear, the smooth tang of the mayonnaise, and the salty sharpness of the cheese. We serve it chilled, and that little crunch from the lettuce creates a delightful combination that remains a favorite recipe throughout the years.

For my family, this pear salad holds the comfort of something we have known and loved for a long time. There is reassurance in setting this cheerful dish on the table and knowing that it still belongs there, even as the years bring changes in our lives. A pear half, a spoonful of mayonnaise, a scattering of cheese, and a fresh lettuce leaf become part of a meal shared with the people we love. After all these years, the salad is about the warmth of those family meals we shared and fought over. Someone, not saying who, was always trying to get the one with the most cheese, and steal the cherry on the top!

One of the loveliest things about this salad is knowing that our children love it, too. Other family members still enjoy it as well, and that shared affection gives this old-fashioned recipe a special place at our table. It makes me happy that a dish so simple appeals to many. There is no need to make it elaborate; the sweet pear, creamy mayonnaise, grated cheese, and crisp lettuce are just what we want. Seeing our children enjoy it makes me hopeful that it will remain part of our family’s meals for many years in the future. This is why our pear salad deserves its place in my heart. I want to preserve everyday favorites that have stayed with us, along with the dishes we prepare for special occasions. For our family, this salad represents years of enjoyment and the pleasure of sharing something that spans the test of time. My hope is that whenever my children or another family member see the recipe, they will recognize a dish they cherish.

This nostalgic salad is perfect for lunch, dinner, church gathering, or holiday table. It pairs great with pork chops, fried chicken, glazed ham, tenderloin, and our scrumptious chicken salad sandwiches.

It is also lovely for Easter, Mother’s Day, summer luncheons; we also like to serve it around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays too, it is festive and delightful to all that are lucky enough to snare some. Hope you and your clan like this simple salad, she’s a little jewel!

Old-Fashioned Fresh Pear and Cheese Salad

Description: This Old-Fashioned Pear and Cheese Salad combination is simple, but the flavors work elegantly together, with sweet, juicy pears that balance the slightly tangy mayonnaise and sharp cheddar cheese that add savory richness to the lettuce that provides a fresh, crisp bed that many will find appealing enough to scoop right off your plate, so watch it!

Ingredients:

• 4 large ripe, firm fresh pears

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 8 large leaves iceberg, or green-leaf lettuce

• ½ cup mayonnaise, or more to taste

• 1½ cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

• Pinch of salt

• Maraschino cherries, for an old-fashioned garnish

Directions

1. Wash and dry the lettuce leaves. Arrange one or two leaves on each salad plate.

2. Peel the pears, if desired. Cut each pear in half lengthwise and remove the core with a melon baller or small spoon.

3. Lightly brush the cut sides of the pears with lemon juice to prevent browning.

4. Place two pear halves, cut side up, over the lettuce on each plate. If pears are large, serve one half per person.

5. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise into the hollow center of each pear half.

6. Sprinkle the freshly grated cheddar generously over the mayonnaise and pears.

7. Add a tiny pinch of salt. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pear.

8. Refrigerate 10–15 minutes before serving or serve immediately while the pears are fresh and juicy.

If you want the pears soft like canned pears, place in a saucepan with 3 cups water, ⅓ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Simmer for 5–6 minutes, until tender. Drain and refrigerate, chilling well before putting the salad together.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes Chilling Time: 10–15 minutes, optional Servings: 4–8, depending on portion size