During the 2016 International Food Bloggers Conference I had an opportunity to have a tour of the Sacramento Valley and visit a pear farm. The Valley, just west of Sacramento, is defined by the surrounding mountains, which feed the Sacramento River, the source of water for this lush area that is ideal for growing pears. The original pear orchards were planted in the 1850s during the California Gold Rush.
Cathy Hemly of Greene & Hemly Pear Orchards (http://www.greeneandhemly.com/) and member of the California Pear Board (http://www.calpear.com) was our guide on this tour. Cathy’s family has tended their pear farm for six generations, and she is very knowledgeable about the history of the area.
On the tour we visited the pear orchard of Stillwater Orchards (http://www.stillwaterorchards.com) 
where we were treated to an elegant lunch that included pear and endive salad, lamb sandwiches, pear crisp and two variations of pear cider, and left with a gift bag full of pears! The pear farmers in this area emphasize sustainability and environmentally friendly pear farming, and several orchards are testing the market for organically grown pears.
People to meet:
*Cathy Hemly, the elegant pear farmer, who went out of her way to find several recipes to inspire my pear-pie-making. 
*Sarah Hemly from the Greene & Hemly team who introduced the tour group to two types of pear cider. It was difficult to choose which one was the best! 
Places to visit:
Pear country, Sacramento Valley. The drive along route 160, the River Road, is scenic as it winds through the valley. Stop at the small towns along the way…..they are full of history and local eateries.
Pie to make:
Auntie Jo’s (Joanne Wiseman, Cathy Hemly’s aunt) Pear Pie. Cathy Hemly generously shared this family recipe with me, and it is divine. 
Pay attention to her adjustments to this heirloom recipe noted in the recipe below. Of the many possible pear pie recipes, Cathy notes that this one has the most eye appeal, and she is so right!
The pie lives up to its reputation, and was sufficiently celebratory to serve at my sister’s birthday party instead of the traditional cake! 
The pie would pair well with Hemly Pear Cider (http://www.hemlycider.com), made from Bartlett and Bosc Pears at the peak of freshness.
- For the crust: Rolled-out dough (http://www.artofthepie.com) for a single 9 inch crust; flute the edges
- For the filling:
- ¼ cu granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp. (or ½ tsp or more) ginger to taste
- 4 tsp flour (I used granulated tapioca)
- 5 medium pears
- 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup light corn syrup (taste pears before adding, I did not use)
- For the streusel topping:
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup flour
- ⅓ cup butter
- In a small dish, mix the granulated sugar, ginger and flour. Sprinkle ⅓ of this mixture on the bottom of the crust.
- Slice pears into a bowl. Place ½ of pears in pie crust. Top with remaining mixture of sugar, ginger and flour. Drizzle 4 tsp. of lemon juice and then pour ¼ cup light corn syrup over the pie.
- To make the streusel, in small bowl combine flour and sugar and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or knives until mixture is like course corn meal. Press topping lightly into the pear mixture.
- Bake 15 minutes at 450 degrees (baked at 425 degrees in my oven) for 15 minutes, and then 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Notes from Cathy Hemly The taste and baking time will depend on the ripeness of the pears. Be sure to taste as you add the sugars. Cathy often uses less sugar and may omit the Karo syrup, and adds more ginger than Auntie Jo did; adjust to your taste. Watch the cooking time; the crust should be a light brown and the fruit bubbling.
