Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
H O W T O C H O O S E: Unlike, say, peaches, the various varieties of pears are
very different from one another. Bartletts, the most common variety, have a buttery tex-
ture and a mild, sweet flavor. Anjous are firmer and spicier. Seckels are tiny, with a rich
taste. Boscs have russet skin and a graceful, slender neck; their flavor is mildly spicy. The
Comice is the wide-bottomed queen of the pear family, with a heavenly floral fragrance, a
buttery, slightly granular texture and a flavor that is almost winey in its complexity. A pear
is perfectly ripe and ready to eat when it is just beginning to soften on the neck, just below
the stem. Except for Bartlett pears, pay no attention to color - it changes only very slightly,
if at all, during ripening. A perfectly ripe Comice pear, one of the true glories of the fruit
world, will still show plenty of green. Bartletts will go from green to golden. They may
look scuffed because of their delicate skin, but pay that no mind.
HOW T O STORE : Don't worry if the pears you buy in the grocery store aren't as
ripe as you'd like. These are among the best fruits for ripening at home. Just leave them
at room temperature until they begin to soften. The process can be speeded up by keep-
ing them in a paper bag to trap the ethylene gas they naturally produce. This also pro-
motes more even ripening. Once they're at the point you like, store them in the refrigerat-
or, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag.
HOW T O PREPARE: The skin of most pears is delicate, so whether to peel them
or not is strictly up to the consumer. Pears do have a tough center core that is long and
thin, so that usually needs to be removed. And remember that any cut surfaces of a pear
will have to be rubbed with lemon juice right away to prevent enzymatic browning, which
begins almost immediately.
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