TBT: Alligator Pear Salad

Alligator Pear? Are you, like me, wondering what the heck that is? Is it an old variety of pear we don't have now? Nope - it's an avocado! Why they didn't just call it an avocado I cannot say - I guess an avocado does look like a pear with alligator hide haha. Whatever the reason, it's in my new/old cookbook and today's 'Throw-Back Thursday" recipe - alligator pear salad is just an avocado sliced into wedges, placed on top of lettuce leaves, drizzled with dressing. Tasty for sure - only thing I did different is used bagged salad so there's a little bit of carrot and radicchio in the mix, and I sprinkled on coarse salt and pepper. The recipe calls for French dressing which is not like our present day creamy ketchup-based French dressing - the one in the book is more oil and vinegar based and I'll share that with you next week. For now just top with whatever dressing you want (the current French dressing would also be good!).

Here's the official recipe as written in the cookbook:

ALLIGATOR PEAR SALAD

• 2 alligator pears
• lettuce leaves
• french dressing

The alligator pear, or avocado, is now available in all markets at very reasonable prices throughout the greater part of the year. Cut each pear into six pieces, giving wedge-shaped sections, and if these are too large, cut each section again lengthwise. Peel and arrange wedges on beds of lettuce leaves. Either French dressing or Russian dressing may be used, but the fruit is so rich that French dressing is preferred by most people.