I spent the Summer making salads, and while the weather has begun to change, that doesn't mean it isn't a great time for salads full of Fall flavors. At a recent trip to the market, I was thrilled to see one of my absolute favorite Fall fruits: the apple pear.

Apple pears are not a cross between apples and pears, but they have a shape that's similar to an apple with pear-like skin. Apple pears' texture is wonderfully crisp and they have a mild sweet flavor. While they're great eaten alone, they're even better in this Asian-influenced salad.

The fresh mix of cucumbers, radishes, and apple pears pair perfectly with bulgogi-style beef. The salad can easily be prepped ahead of time, then quickly cook the beef and assemble just before serving. If you are ready to embrace Fall, keep reading for the recipe.

If you haven't taken part in Savory Sights, or any other group in the YumSugar Community, here's yet another reason to scope it all out: mobile blogging.

With this helpful feature, you can contribute posts directly from your phone. All you need is any cell phone with email capabilities, and you can create posts with text and photos from your cell, anytime and anyplace, just like yours truly.

Over the weekend, I couldn't resist shooting this picture of an end-of-season heirloom tomato and onion salad!

Share your favorite seasonal dish in Savory Sights or cocktail-of-the-moment in Let's Have a Drink. Ready to begin? Head over to the GeekSugar Community for easy instructions.

One of the highlights of this year's SF Cocktail Week was the inauguration of the Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts, a new community center concept of sorts for local and visiting bartenders.

Named after William "Cocktail Bill" Boothby, a turn-of-the-century SF barman, author, philanthropist, and leader, the hub will serve as home base for the Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail, the nonprofit that's behind San Francisco's weeklong drink event. The conservancy's founders — Elixir's H. Joseph Ehrmann, Cantina's Duggan McDonnell, and Comstock Saloon's Jeff Hollinger — explained that the civic center, which was still in the hard hat phase, will include event space, a cocktail lab, and meeting rooms.

For a glimpse of the star-studded event, check out the gallery below.

What do you think of the concept? Should other cities follow suit?

Oftentimes I find myself cooking in other people's kitchens. Last night I was making dinner for my sister and her roommates and ran into some technical difficulties. I needed homemade breadcrumbs, but the kitchen did not have a food processor. Although it took me a minute to figure out a method, I was able to quickly and easily make breadcrumbs. Here's what you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slice the bread into 1/4-inch slices.
2. Toast the bread for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Put the bread in a plastic baggie. Using a rolling pin or a heavy pot, smash the bread into small pieces. If desired, run a sharp knife over the pieces to make sure they are crumbs.
4. Voilà: breadcrumbs! Use according to your recipe.

Have you made breadcrumbs without a food processor? What's your technique?