Saving the world, one dessert at a time

Cranky Steve has been c.r.a.n.k.y. lately, which means one thing: He's aptly named.  And also: He clearly needs dessert.

Dessert makes everything better.

Last week, Steve brought some Bartlett pears to work that he'd gleaned from the orchard next to his house.  I think it might be his family's orchard, or maybe he has permission from the orchardist, I have no idea, but one of his pastimes is taking his cats for "walkies" and picking previously passed over fruit.  The pears sat around for a while, and by Friday, he was all, you take the rest of those home in a way that meant I really had no choice.

Which was cool.  I'm down with free fruit.  And anyway, pears are my favorite.

Yesterday morning I decided to make dinner starting from dessert on up.  I can't be the only one who plans a meal around dessert, right?  It just makes sense.

I have this pear oat crisp recipe from my Martha Stewart Baking Book that we love and adore.  The topping tastes like an oatmeal cookie.  Mmm!  That's all I have to say about that.  Except, I mean, that THAT is what I decided to make using some of my pear bounty.

Since Cranky Steve gave me the pears, and since he'd been ever so cranky, and since I'd just made this huge dessert, I packaged up a nice scoop and put "Pear Crisp from Trisha" on a sticky note.  Because I'd reused a cottage cheese container and I didn't want him thinking someone had left him gross old cottage cheese.

He was out most of the afternoon, but when he did come in, he came right over to the front desk, smacking his lips.

He's all, thank you so much, that was delicious, I've never had a pear crisp.  And I'm all, wow, you ate it already? because I thought maybe he'd take it home and eat it for dessert or something.  Whatever, who am I to judge?  So I add, those were the pears you gave me, and he nods like he already figured as much, and then says with an impish grin, you know what else is good?  Apple crisp.  I laughed and was like, oh great, I've created a monster, and then he starts talking about the different gleaned apple varieties he has access to and which would be the best for apple crisp.

Lumpy applesauce is also pretty good, he concludes, and I'm all, gotcha.

So I'm pretty sure there are some apples in my future.

P.S. I wore my newly mended sweater to work yesterday and felt like a rock star.  I don't get out a lot, so that's probably why.