18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Friday, October 10, 1913: About the same as other days.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write much a hundred years ago today, I’ll share a recipe for Fried Pears that I found in the August, 1913 issue of Farm Journal.
Fried pears—Fried pears are delicious. Prepare in the following manner: Remove peel, seeds and core. Slice and fry to a delicate brown in drippings or melted butter. Arrange upon a dish and sprinkle powdered sugar on each piece.
I fried the pears in melted butter. At first I used a medium temperature, but then turned it up to medium high to brown the pears. This was hotter than what I normally use when frying with butter—but the pears won’t brown until I turned the heat up.
I used a spatula to turn the pears—and probably cooked them for about 3-5 minutes on each side. Since I used such a high temperature, I watched the pears like a hawk—because I wanted them to brown but not burn.
The powdered (confectioner’s) sugar sweetened the Fried Pears slightly—but did not garnish them for very long. The sugar dissolved in less than a minute.
The Fried Pears were yummy—though very similar to what I think hot canned pears would taste like. If I made this recipe again I would skip the sugar.
A Hundred Years Ago 
I often fry apple slices, so this looks worth a try.
If you like fried apples, I think you’d like this. The recipe is really easy to make.
Interesting. I have seen stewed pears, but not fried. Maybe you need to try some hot canned pears to see if they taste the same 🙂
I’ll have to add that experiment to my “to-do” list. 🙂
Pears are my favorite fruit! I’ve never eaten them fried…
Until I saw this recipe I never thought of frying pears.
We do this with apples all the time – don’t know why it never occurred to me to do pears instead!
You’ll have to give it a try. 🙂
I definitely plan to try this one and maybe use it as a dessert drizzled with maple syrup instead of sugar. 🙂
I might have to make them again and use maple syrup. It sounds delicious.
Wow, I have never fried pears, this is worth a try 🙂
I found it to be a really quick and easy recipe to make.
Never thought of fried pears and drizzling with maple syrup like was suggested above sounds so good!
mmm–I like the idea of using maple syrup.
Sounds like a quick dessert and I rarely think of using pears for anything. 🙂
It is a quick dessert. I’m definitely trying to make more fruit desserts.
I like the idea of adding more fruit or fruit being the main ingredient of a dessert.
That would be yummy with drizzled chocolate and vanilla icecream!
mmm–it’s getting better with each comment I read.
Something different to try, had fried apples but not fried pears.
I enjoyed them.
or on top of chocolate cake with icecream!
I’m getting hungry. 🙂
I love pears, simple and yet conjures up the warm fuzzy feeling of “home”.
I hadn’t thought about it until I read your comment, but you’re right–pears are a comfort food.
Drool…
🙂
I never thought of frying pears. That would make a nice side dish or dessert. We broiled them in a high school cooking class, brushed them with a glaze (don’t remember what) and topped with a maraschino cherry.
Broiled pears sound yummy, too.
YUM!!! … not fond of fresh fruit but now I’m going to start frying pears and apples in butter and covering with lashings of cream 🙂 Great tip, thanks.
I have never thought of fried pears, how simple and looks yummy. Might be like pie without the calories of crust. I might skip the sugar too and just have with vanilla ice cream….yum