As much as I love apples for their straightforward, tart-sweet flavors and crisp, snappy texture, they are no match for pears.

Pears are lush, fragrant and elegant. Take the tree-ripened local variety, Luscious. With their rough, tawny skin, they may not look like much, but they live up to the name. A cold, hardy variety, Luscious pears are tender with a floral scent and complex mellow-sweet flavors that hit you in waves.

Like apples, these are delicious baked in a pie or crumble, but they shine when paired with savory herbs and cheese, tossed into a salad of dark greens or served alongside roast pork or duck. Baked into a tart, their natural sugars caramelize yet never turn cloying.

Our local pears have a very short season. If you miss them, Washington pears are now at their peak: Bosc pears with a woodsy, honey sweetness; Comice are buttery and juicy; D'Anjou have tang; and Seckel are sugary-sweet. Because Washington's pears are shipped in unripe, they'll need a couple of days to become themselves. Store them in a paper bag until soft and fragrant.

When it comes to pastry, cornmeal adds flavor, crunch and structure. It's sturdy enough to stand up to the soft, juicy pears. It comes together quickly in a food processor and is easy to roll out; make a double batch and bake half now and freeze the other half for later. (Don't worry if you don't have a food processor; a pastry blender, forks or your fingers work, too.) If you're short on time, you can find premade crusts in the grocer's freezer.

This tart is pretty enough for a dinner party, or served in thin slices for appetizers, yet makes an easy casual supper served with soup or salad.

This cornmeal crust comes together quickly, but if you're in a pinch, feel free to use prepared frozen cornmeal or butter tart crusts. If you don't have a food processor, a pastry blender, two forks or your fingers all work well, too. From Beth Dooley.

¼ c. shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish.

Directions

In a food processor, pulse together the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder. Pulse in the butter until the consistency is that of small peas. Pulse in the milk. Transfer the dough to a plate and gather into a ball. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out with a flour-dusted rolling pin to fit a 9- to 10-inch pie or tart plate. Poke holes into the dough with a fork. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until the crust becomes firm, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.

In a large bowl, toss together the pears, thyme, shallots, pepper and Parmesan and fill the pie crust. Return to the oven. Bake until the pears are tender and begin to brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with a little more cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Beth Dooley is the author of "The Perennial Kitchen." Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com.