Yummy treats Pear & Almond Tart (Serves 6 to 8)This is a simple, classic tart with few ingredients. It'simportant to roll the pastry as thin as possible-it will puff up when baked. You can make six or eight individual tarts instead of one large one, and use fresh peaches, apricots or apples in place of the pears. 1/2 pkg. (375 g) frozen puff pastry, thawed1/2 cup (125 mL) ground almonds3 fresh pears (any kind), peeled, cored and thinly sliced3 tbsp. (45 mL) unsalted butter, melted3 tbsp. (45 mL) sugarRoll out pastry very thin, about 1/8 in. (3 mm), and about 10 to 11 in. (25 to 28 cm) in diameter. Wrap pastry over the rolling pin and transfer to a fluted tart shell. Use a fork to prick the pastry in a few places. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Sprinkle pastry shell with almonds and arrange pear slices in a concentric pattern, ending with a few in the centre. Brush or drizzle with butter and scatter sugar over the surface.Bake for 30 minutes until light golden brown. Serve warm with unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.Pickled Peppery Peaches (Makes 2 pints - 1 litre)Wonderful with ham, sausage or any rich meat, this easy recipe uses just a few peaches, although you could double the amount. Choose slightly underripe peaches so they retain their crunch. Don't worry about peeling them; just use a coarse towel to rub off most of the fuzz. Because this isn't a traditional canning process, the finished product must be kept in the refrigerator.1 cup (250 mL) white wine vinegar2 tbsp. (30 mL) granulated sugar2 tbsp. (30 mL) black peppercorns, coarsely cracked4 small- to medium-sized peaches, left wholeHave ready two sterilized pint jars, lids and seals. Using a whisk, combine vinegar, sugar and peppercorns in a mixing bowl. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.Pack peaches into pint jars. Add vinegar mixture until it comes 3/4 of the way up the peaches. Cover with lids and turn jars upside down a few times to evenly distribute liquid.Refrigerate, giving the jars the same upside-down treatment once or twice a day. After about a week, peaches will be ready to serve. They'll keep for approximately two weeks in the refrigerator.Red Pears & Blue Cheese with Watercress (Serves 4 to 6)Few foods complement each other as well as pears and blue cheese. In this colourful salad, fresh watercress provides a pleasant peppery counterpoint to the sweet pears and pungent cheese. Bring cheese to room tempera-ture before using.Vinaigrette1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil2 tbsp. (30 mL) fresh lemon juice1 tbsp. (15 mL) Dijon mustard1 tsp. (5 mL) granulated sugar1 tsp. (5 mL) saltFreshly ground black pepper, to tasteSalad1/2 cup (125 mL) walnut halves2 bunches watercress, rinsed and dried thoroughly2 'Red Bartlett' pears (unpeeled) cored, quartered and sliced1/2 lb. (225 g) Gorgonzola cheese (or your favourite blue)To make vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together oil and lemon juice. Whisk in mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning. Reserve.Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Scatter walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet; toast for about 10 to 12 minutes-no more, or the walnuts will burn.Meanwhile, pick through watercress, discarding any tough bits, then transfer to a wide mixing bowl.Just before serving, toss watercress with vinaigrette and distribute dressed greens on individual plates. Crumble cheese over greens, then arrange pears, followed by walnuts. Serve immediately.