FoodFood InformationFruitDeciduous
The pear, a member of the rose family, like the apple and the quince,is believed to have originated in the foothills of Northern India and Afghanistan.They don't thrive in areas where the summers are too warm or the winterstoo cold, but are now grown in all parts of the world that have climatessimilar to that of their mid-Asian origin.
Our West Coast has the ideal climate and altitude for growing pears. Californiaproduces more than 50 percent of our huge domestic tonnage. The combinationof California, Washington, and Oregon accounts for more than 90 percentof our total crop. A fair amount of Bartlett and Bosc pears are producedin New York State and Michigan, but the yield from these areas can't matchthat of the West Coast in size, appearance, and flavor. Most eastern pearsare sold locally and used for home canning. Until just prior to World WarII, domestic pears were in season from mid-July to mid-May and out of seasonduring the late spring and early summer. Today that slack is more than adequatelytaken up by imports from the Southern Hemisphere (Argentina, Chile, NewZealand, Australia, and South Africa), and fine pears are available twelvemonths of the year. Some varieties, which due to their longevity were popularprior to the availability of imports, have now been phased out.
Pears, like apples, must be harvested while they are firm, long before theyreach full maturity. Unlike peaches or mangoes, which are at their flavorbest when are allowed to tree-ripen, a tree-ripe pear will eat soft andmushy.
While countless varieties of pears exist, only about a handful are now growncommercially on a large scale. The top domestic varieties in order of volume,not necessarily of flavor, are the Bartletts, Anjous, Bosc, Comice, andSeckels. The imports from Chile, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africaare mainly of the Bosc variety and Packham Triumph variety, which resemblesour Bartlett. The domestic Forelle pears have only a minimal share of themarket. The Winter Nelis, Easter Buerres, and Keiffer pears are no longergrown in commercial quantity.
All varieties of pears should be purchased while still firm and allowedthree or four days to ripen at room temperature. When they have almost reachedfull maturity (the Bartletts will have attained a pale yellow color; theComice, Anjous, and Seckels will have a slight yield to gentle pressure,and the Bosc will have attained a milk-chocolate brown color but will stillbe very firm), put the pears in the refrigerator. Remember that a not quiteripe pear may be further ripened, but an overripe pear has passed the pointof no return.
WHEN TO BUY: Available year-round
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Firm, not bruised fruit
HOW TO STORE: Ripen at room temperature; refrigerate when ready to eat
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