Italians often opt for a simple dessert of cheese and fruit. This recipe combines the two for a light ending to a meal.

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe pears
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature
• 1 Tbs butter, unsalted at room temperature
• 4 Tbs candied walnuts, crushed

Directions:

1. Cut the pears in half lengthwise (you may leave the stem attached to one half).
2. Remove the cores and scoop a small portion of the pulp out of each pear half.
3. Brush lemon juice on each half to keep it from turning brown.
4. Cream the Gorgonzola cheese and butter together until it is fluffy.
5. Fill the hollows of the pears with 1 Tbs of cheese-butter mixture.
6. Sprinkle 1/2 Tbs of crushed walnuts over each pear half.
7. Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving.

Note: Italians have always loved pears. The ancients praised the pear, including the Greek poet Homer who called it, "The gift of the gods." The ancient Romans shared this opinion and used grafting techniques to develop more than fifty varieties of pears. As the the Romans traveled colonized Europe they took their pear trees with them. Pears were known in Europe before the Romans. Pear seeds have been found in Switzerland that have been dated as 10,000 years old. Today there are over 2,500 types of pears. Many are perfect for baking while others are best eaten fresh.