A Triumph Over Circumstances

After Melissa was born, I wanted to know everything I could about feeding a child. The doctor told me that the age that a baby learns to sit up, stand up and walk varies greatly. "Temperament and weight," he said, "have a gret deal to do with it. For instance, a fat baby may not have much of a yen to get moving very fast."

Didn't I know it! I was such a fat baby, I had barely reached the sitting up stage when it was time for me to go to camp. My parents had to take me there in a U-Haul. As a kid, I ate so many sweets and lost so many teeth at once that the tooth fairy at our house had a hernia.

I was determined that Melissa would grow up with first-rate eating habits, but no matter what I did, I couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. Once I prepared a great meal for her; lamb chops, spinach, mashed potatoes, ice cream, and she wouldn't touch it. Boy, was I upset! If that kid only knew how many hours it took me to stuff that into the bottle.

In spite of everything, I am proud to say that Melissa has grown up with a wonderful healthy appetite. To get across the notion that eating can be enjoyable, in my house we just say, "Eat some more, kid. It's good. Mommy didn't make it." The way I figure it, if women were meant to slave over a hot stove, they would have been given aluminum hands.

Poach pear halves until barely tender in small amount of water. Cool and drain. Sprinkle each pear half with sugar. Fill cavity of each with a mound of caviar. Arrange each pear half on a bed of lettuce. Decorate with a wedge of lemon.

Serve as hors d'oeuvre or as a first course for a luncheon.

When fresh pears are not in season, substitute canned pears and omit sugar.