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Pears come in a rainbow of colors and an eclectic assortment of shapes, but a familiar sweetness links the different varieties.
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Like the
strawberry, the pear is a member of the rose family and is related to
almond,
apples and
apricots.
Pears range in shape from quite round to the more familiar,
tear-drop-like “pear-shape” and range in color from bright yellow dark
red or brown. Their flesh is usually very sweet and can be crisp, soft
or grainy depending on variety and ripeness.
Tasty Tidbits
Oregon, Washington and California are the major U.S. pear producers,
and pears were named as Oregon's state fruit in 2005. Each year, Oregon
grows enough pears that, placed end-to-end, they could circle the globe
twice.
Varieties
Pears are easily crossbred and cultivated, and thus there are at least
3,000 varieties of pears worldwide. Only a very small number of these
have been cultivated in the U.S., including the following:
•
Anjou
pears are juicy and sweet, making ideal dessert pears. Anjou have a
light yellow-green skin and less grainy flesh than other varieties and
are equally tasty in both standard and dwarf form.
•
Bartlett pears grow to be either bright yellow or reddish, and they are a good choice in dishes that call for cooked pears.
•
Bosc pears
are usually grown in dwarf size and have a yellow-brown matte skin.
They have a sophisticatedly classic aesthetic quality and a crisp flesh
that makes them good both fresh and cooked.
•
Comice
pears ripen to a pink-brown skin color and have smooth, juicy flesh.
Both lovely and delicious, they are often acclaimed as the best type of
pear.
•
Conference and
Passe-Crassane pears have a grainy, crisp flesh that makes them best suited to cooking.
•
Forelle
pears are hard to get your hands on because of their limited
cultivation and short growing season, but they are treasured by those
who do. They have a bright red skin, yellow flesh and are small and
firm enough to make a perfect fresh snack.
•
Seckel pears
are very small, plump and roundish with a green skin often covered in
large maroon splotches. Like Forelle pears, they are tiny and sweet and
thus a good snack fruit.
Almost all pear varieties are grown in both
standard sizes and
dwarf sizes,
which are cultivated through a grafting process. Some pears are better
in one form or the other, so try your favorite pears in each size when
possible
Buying Tips
Pears are picked before they are ripe, so you can plan on letting them
ripen on your kitchen counter. Because pears have a short life once
ripe, choose firmer fruits if you know you’ll be keeping them for a few
days. Select pears that feel solid but not excessively hard.
Bartlett
pears will change color when ripening, as will some red pear varieties,
and some will not change color at all, so its easier not to count on
pear color to indicate quality or ripeness.
The bright, fresh
looking ones are most appealing and most likely to taste good--avoid
those with visible surface damage such as bruises and scars.
Storage Tips
Since tree-ripened pears become too mealy almost immediately, pears are
intended to ripen fully after they are purchased. To test whether pears
are ripe, use your thumb to press gently into the narrow end of the
pear. When the fruit gives under the pressure, it is ripe for the
eating. Pears ripen from the inside out, so don’t wait for it to start
to feel soft in its thick mid-section as this will suggest that the
pear is overripe.
Unripe pears can be softened through the same process as
plums: put
hard pears in a paper bag and leave them at room temperature, checking
them periodically with the thumb pressure test to see whether they are
ready to eat or refrigerate.
Ripe pears can remain refrigerated for 2-5 days. Keep them in the coldest part of the refrigerator and away from
onions and
potatoes, which will pass their odors on to sensitive pears, and away from
cabbage,
carrots, and
celery, which may take on the odor of the pears.
Usage Tips
Pears are most popularly eaten whole or sliced as a fresh, juicy snack, but they can also be used in a variety of other forms.
Baked
or
poached pears are a unique dessert treat in their own right, and
they also make a sweet addition to fruit
tarts and
compotes. Consider
using hard pears in baking since they aren’t as pleasant to eat fresh.
Try slicing fresh pears alongside fine cheeses for a relatively simple but sophisticated appetizer or snack.
Nutrition
Pears are a good source of
vitamin C, B-vitamins and
potassium. Pears contain much dietary
fiber, 41% of which is in the pectin form.
Try one of our favorite pear recipes:
PucheroPear CrispGoose Creek Pear and Blue Cheese Salad with Shallot Dressing
Suggested PairingsBrie, chardonnay, cinnamon, fine cheeses, goat cheese, pinot blanc, port
