Pear Recipes

Pears are a wonderful addition to a healthy eating plan. Rich in vitamin C and potassium, they can add a sweetness to your palate that many more acidic fruit cannot. They are also an important source of fiber.

Types

Most pears are picked before they are ripe, since, if they are left on the tree, they become mushy in the middle. Pears you select at the grocery store probably are not yet ready to eat. Purchase them several days in advance of when you want to eat them and leave them in a bowl on the table as a centerpiece for a day or two. They should be firm but 'give' a bit when ripe.

The Bartlett is the variety most of us are familiar with - it has the classic 'pear-shape' and is green to yellow in color.

The Anjou doesn't conform quite as much to the shape, but is more oval or eggshaped. It comes in yellow and red varieties.

The Bosc is perhaps the most elegant looking, with a longer, more tapering top, and a brownish, sturdier skin. The Bosc is firmer - and crisper - when ripe than other pears, so it travels well.

The Asian variety is now appearing in western supermarkets - they have abandoned the classic pear-shape altogether and are shaped like apples. Also like an apple, an Asian pear such as the Honsui stays crisp when ripe.

Cooking Tips

Pears bake or roast just like apples, and any baked apple recipe can be modified for this delicious fruit. They have traditionally been paired with blue cheese as an appetizer.

Pears go well with meats such as pork, chicken, duck and lamb.