I was out picking up tomatoes about three weeks ago at the Sunday market when I saw the happiest of sites -- a pile of pears. I asked the ‘Mater Man’ about the unexpected appearance of pears and learned that our odd weather this summer has led to early pears. That’s good news to me, as I love pears in lots of savory dinner dishes. If you consign this crisp fall fruit to no more than a snack, you are missing out a on an entire world of happiness.