National Pears Hélène Day Date in the current year: March 15, 2024

There are different recipes for pears. You can consume them fresh or use for desserts, juice, jam, jelly. But as far as it is the day of a certain dessert, why don't you make Pears Hélène (or Pears Belle Hélène). This a simple dessert that is composed of pears poached in sugar syrup and topped with vanilla ice cream, tasty chocolate sauce and irresistible crystallized violets. By the way, the last ones are commonly substituted with sliced almonds.

Pears Hélène have French origin. This dessert was made by Auguste Escoffier, who named it after the opera La belle Hélène by Jacques Offenbach. The opera started in December 1864, it was a big success, and the dessert was developed as a tribute.

Did you know that pears are health-giving? Pears are an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, fiber, potassium and copper. If you bought pears that have to ripen, leave them at room temperature. If you leave them next to bananas in a fruit bowl, the process will go faster. Remember, that pears ripen from inside out, check you pears, otherwise they will overripe!