Written by Since I pretty much love all types of fruit, save mangoes, which I have an unfortunate allergy to, this was a tough choice today. I ultimately ended up with pears as they are definitely in my top five. Mostly because they remind me of autumn which is my favorite season, and even more so because they remind me of Christmas, which is my most favorite season. I’m a particular fan of the Harry & David pears, and was excited to see them in Trader Joe’s last year. I insisted we buy some, but Philippe insisted that the flavor wasn’t elevated enough to justify the extra cost. Yeah, perhaps I was taken by the fact they were individually wrapped like little presents, but one can never underestimate the power of good presentation. Getting to unwrap my fruit like a little gift absolutely made it taste better to me. In the end, we just agreed to disagree.
As a kid I don’t actually remember having a slice of an actual pear. Pears would typically just appear in a cube form in that concoction known as fruit cocktail. Little cubes of pear, that were mostly soft, but occasionally, you’d get one that was hard and crunchy. I didn’t like those those at all, so eating fruit cocktail was always a bit like a dangerous game of roulette. Sometimes it was all good, but other times, it held nasty surprises. I grew up in an era where most fruit came out of a can and was considered to be just as good as the real thing. This was equally the case with vegetables. It was the heyday of convenience foods and though each version was as nutritionally bereft as the next, we eagerly sought them out as some sort of miracle add-on to every meaty meal. These days, I’ve grown to enjoy and prefer the actual fruit, but back then, this version simply seemed rather exotic and weird.
I was well into adulthood before I began to appreciate the original versions of many foods. The natural version that didn’t go through a ton of processing first. What seemed like a miracle back then, feels like a travesty to me today. Fruit is rather amazing in its raw form and much better than the cubed and canned versions I grew up with back in the day. But I think that’s why I always get a little taken when my fruit appears wrapped. It’s just feels like something more familiar. Even when I learn that there’s a better way to enjoy something, I can’t help but feel nostalgic about the memories of my youth. They were such happy memories after all. And that’s certainly something wonderful. But yes, these days, my pears no longer come in cubes and look far more like the original source. Even so, looking back, I have to admit that I enjoyed those little squares. They were the unassuming little predecessors to what would ultimately become my favorite fruit.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Hansa Yellow Deep, Yellow Ochre, Quinacridone Red, Ultramarine Blue, and Payne’s Grey. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. |
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I love pears and yours look good enough to eat. Lol, I remember fruit cocktail fondly, because we didn’t get it often. My mom canned fruit every summer and that us what we ate through out the year.
Thanks so much, Sandra!! 😃💕 That’s awesome… I love that you had your own canned fruit! That sounds delicious!
It was, although the helping mom actually can it part was not much fun. 🙂
I have a hard time choosing. Whatever is in season becomes my favorite. Pears will be ready soon!
Yeah, I’m the same! I love whatever fruit is the freshest in the end! 😉💕
I was lucky to grow up in an Italian family in Southern California. That combination meant my mother always served fresh fruits and vegetables, even in the 50s and 60s. I’ve always loved pears for fall and winter, but my real favorites are things that come into season in summer – plums, berries, peaches, nectarines. Pears are tricky, even the Harry & David ones. I usually ripen on the counter until fully ripe for full flavor. Your watercolor of these yummy fruits is beautiful. I hope they were fresh!!
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 These were from photo references, so just dream fruit! hehe… I’m still waiting for fall when I can get the ones I really want! That’s awesome that you had fresh fruits and vegetables! I began in the 70’s when the cans were all the rage.
OMGosh, I wish we could get a hold of some pears around here! We’d probably make Pear Honey which is like Pear Jam. And of course, I’d eat them fresh! Charlie -have you ever tried Pear Apples? I hadn’t but then our neighbors let us pick ALL we wanted off their Pear Apple Tree! I wish our Fuji Apple Tree hadn’t died. We ate peaches off our dwarf peach trees again this year. You just can’t beat walking outside & picking your own fruit from your OWN trees!
I’m not sure I’m ever had a Pear apple, but now I really want to try them!! Sounds delicious! 😃💕 Oh my gosh… I would be in heaven if I could walk out and pick fruit off my own tree!! Awesome!!
Fruit cocktail! Wow, I had completely forgotten about that. Fruit cocktail and canned peaches were standards during my childhood. Can’t think when I last tasted fruit cocktail, many decades for sure.
Hehe… yeah, the fruit all tasted the same in fruit cocktail… sort all went together into a fruit flavor that wasn’t really a single fruit at all. And the cherries were elusive… I always felt like I found a treasure when I got one! 😊💕
The pears look delicious.I really like the colors of the pears and the fork. The shading is perfect.
Aww thanks so much, June!! So happy you liked this one!! 😃💕
Your pears are perfectly yummy, Charlie! They are my favourite fruit and Mama always canned ours fresh every Fall so we enjoyed them all Winter too! My special treat were her “pickled pears” – a few little cloves added to the syrup before canning. Nothing was better!
What a lovely memory you have gifted with your painting – thank you! <3
Thanks so much, Yvonne! 😃💕 Oh yum!! Pickled pears with cloves sounds delicious!! I’ve never had that!! I would love to try it!
Your pears have a feeling of fall to me which is just around the corner! 🍐🍁🍂 I remember fruit cocktail in a can as a kid too! Fresh fruit is sooo much better! 👍
Thanks, Jill!! 😃💕 Yeah… nothing beats fresh fruit!! And yay! I’m sooooo ready for fall! It’s my favorite season!!
It’s not Christmas in our family without Harry and David’s Royal Riviera pears (and now organic!). We seldom buy pears any other time of year as those are just unbelievable. So, I’m in your corner: the cost IS justified, even if they aren’t wrapped in gold. As for fruit cocktail, I smiled remembering those crunchy pear bits. Thanks for jogging fond memories. And thank you also for these daily prompts – I am particularly enjoying the “favorite” items. Art is so much more fun when it starts from a place of emotion.
Excellent, Kathryn!! 😃💕I’m sooo thrilled you’ve taken my side on this!!! hehe!!! Harry & David pears ARE better! So delicious!! And thrilled you’re enjoying the prompts. I totally agree… I think art built out of emotion is always better in the end.
Pears in cube form. I LOL on that one. Lovely story and painting Charlie. Have you ever done a video of your painting process? Or a detailed blog post of a paintings stages? Your paintings are so unique, I’d really enjoy seeing you work. Cheers!! Tom
Hehe… thanks so much, Tom! 😃💕 I haven’t yet done a tutorial, but it’s something I’m definitely working on, so stayed tuned. It will happen once I steal the time!
Sounds great! Your work is great and recognizable so you definitely have developed your “style”. I would love to see how you work so I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Wonderful painting! The depth is looking really good. For me, I prefer peaches and their sweet juicy tenderness! :p
Thanks so much, Agatha! 😃💕 And yay to that! I love peaches too!! Just had one actually! hehe
Your pear painting is gorgeous and your story takes me back to my childhood. I don’t remember much fresh fruit other than bananas and apples but I loved tearing into an orange with my teeth. It felt like an adventure to peel back the rind to get to the juicy fruit segments.
So true!! 😃💕Bananas and apples seemed to be the main staple, but yeah an orange made an appearance every now and then. I would bite into an orange to start it as well… hehe… fun memories!
seriously, you and I are so alike, lol. I Love Papples, what’s usually called chinese pear apples, not only because they’re crunchy and much like an apple which I’m so allergic to but they come with little sweater vest for each one! I love those little mesh sweater vests, You’ve gotta be an important fruit to have your own clothing. ;o)
haha! That’s so true!! Those little sweater vests are a sure sign of awesomeness! hehe 😂💕
“Eating fruit cocktail was a bit like a dangerous game of roulette.”
I just snorted coffee out of my face. Because *TRUE FACT*, that.
You haven’t lived until you’ve had a fresh northwest pear straight off the tree, by the way. I’m actually *drooling* thinking about it, and may have to go hunt some up.