You have no idea how happy I was to have a no-cook, cold item on my Elmwood Garden Club menu! It was a serious relief when trying to put everything together in a time crunch. I made these candied pecans several days before (and tried not to eat the entire bag before the event) and had them ready. I cut pears that morning and set them aside in lemon juice to prevent browning. Right before the event, my wonderful helper Mindy, assembled the goat cheese, pecan and pear inside endive leaves.

I think it is always nice to have something fresh and crunchy to contrast with the heavier items on the menu- especially when you are serving cast iron skillets with bubbling cheese. This was a nice way to highlight pears in season and a welcomed relief for the cook in the kitchen.