It's always best to eat seasonally when you can: that's when fruits and vegetables have the most flavor and appeal.  Part of fall's bounty, pears are harvested and canned to preserve their nutrition and sunny taste for the cold months ahead.  Northwest Pear and Spinach Salad Pear Butternut Squash Soup Moroccan Chicken Stew Win Art and School Supplies from Smilemakers.com ($1,000 value) in the Pacific Northwest Canned Pears kids' art contest. Click for details!   When fall rolls around the produce isles become so enticing, brimming with rows of colorful pears in different shapes and sizes. Then reality sets in. Capturing pears at their best is not easy... or is it?  Did you know that Pacific Northwest Canned Pears use only Bartlett pears? The vast, fertile inland valleys of Oregon and Washington produce the majority of the Bartlett pears grown in the US. Bartlett pears are prized for their sweet juicy flavor and buttery texture. They are picked at the ideal stage of ripeness and carefully handled to avoid bruising.  The peels and cores are removed before canning, so that the end product is a perfect, juicy and delicious pear. The pear growers and processors do all the work, you enjoy the results! Just like many other fruit and nut trees, pear trees need honey bees for optimal pollination. Each spring beehives are placed in the pear orchards.  Flying amongst the trees the bees take and distribute pollen from flower to flower.  The resulting cross-pollination insures both the quality and quantity of fruit the tress produce will be ideal.  No wonder pears and honey go so well together! Recipe: Northwest Honeyed Pears  Recipe: Northwest Tuna Salad Back to work and school means making every moment of your day count.  Packing lunch saves time and money, with the added bonus of helping you avoid sweets and other unwanted calories at check out.  Start your day off right with a nutritious breakfast.  Pear Yogurt Ginger Smoothie can be made ahead, stored in a travel cup, ready to grab on your way out the door. Northwest Tuna Salad and Pear Tabbouleh Salad can also be made the night before, ready to pack into your bag as you leave.  When the chill of fall sets in, think about packing soup for lunch.  It's made ahead so there is no rush in the morning; it travels well in a resealable plastic container and is easy to heat up in the lunchroom microwave. No time to pack ahead? With ingredients you are likely to keep on hand, Pacific Northwest Pitas can be assembled before you've finished your first cup of coffee.