My dear Jane just got back from an adventure in western Mass., and she brought back some of the most succulent pears I've ever tasted. Decision - cut them up and throw them into the morning mix of our cranberry oatmeal. The result - bliss. The cool, crisp, sweet, yet soft pears complemented the texture and of the oats and the chewiness of the cranberries. We used the pears fresh, but we're already thinking about the possibilities of stewed pear oatmeal in the style of apple chunk porridge.