Pears and Parmigiano

There’s an old Italian adage that says, essentially, that a good ripe pear with a chunk of fine Parmigiano will turn a peasant into a king—at least temporarily. It is one of those blessed combinations that really delivers flavor and pleasure.

A ripe pear can be difficult to find, however. Pears are picked underripe, and most are sold that way and need to be monitored at home for a few d