Pears

Pears are a sweet, aromatic fruit that when fully ripe yield a delicious, juicy flesh underneath a soft outer skin. However, pears can be somewhat temperamental when ripening; they can go from rock hard to unpleasantly mushy within just a few days. Placing pears in the fridge will delay their ripening, whereas keeping them in a paper bag will speed the process up. A pear is ripe when the area around the stem yields under the pressure of a fingertip.

This tasty fruit can be used in a number of different ways; simply be eaten as they are, or baked, stewed or poached. Pears go particularly well with spices, nuts, chocolate and vanilla and can be combined with any of these ingredients to make delicious puddings.

Like apples, pears come in a wide range of different varieties; in fact there are almost 5,000 different types of pears in Europe alone; some of the most popular are listed below. Their colour can vary from a golden yellow, to bright green, to a soft blurred brown. They may be oval in shape, long-necked (calabash) or the classic pear-shape.

Anjou

The Anjou is a short-necked variety of pear that originated in France. It has a pale green skin that remains that colour even when fully ripe, with a sweet, slightly bland, juicy flesh. Anjou pears are often used for baking.

Beurré Bosc

The Beurre (French for butter) varieties of pears are so-named because of their creamy, buttery, melting quality. The Beurré Bosc (also known as the Emperor Alexander) has a calabash shape and a fine brown russeting. It is juicy enough for eating and is also excellent when stewed.

Beurré Hardy

The Beurré Hardy is juicier and plumper than the Beurré Bosc, and delicious either eaten on its own or stewed and puréed.

Bonne Louise

Also known as Louise Bonne de Jersey, this smooth-skinned pear tends to be green on one side and yellow washed with pink on the side ripened in the sun. It is an excellent dessert pear.

Conference

The slim, calabash shaped English Conference pear was so named when its fine, tender, melting flesh and delicious flavour won it the top prize at a fruit growers' conference in 1885. It has a russet skin that turns yellow when ripe with rather coarse, yet sweet and juicy, yellow flesh.

Doyenne de Comice

Also know simply as Comice, this large, round pear is one of the juiciest and most flavourful, with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, along with a slight spiciness. It has a greenish-yellow skin with a red blush, stippled with tiny grey spots and fawn patches. Its flesh is juicy, sweet and buttery, with no hint of graininess. Comice pears are excellent to eat out of hand or may be added to fruit salads and other desserts.

Packham's Triumph

This Australian native pear is larger than most other varieties, with a short stout shape and a bumpy surface. Its white, juicy flesh has a sweet, slightly musky flavour and it covered by a pale yellow outer skin.

Passe Crassane

This fat, juicy, rounded Italian pear has a delicious flavour and makes a wonderful dessert pear.

Seckel

Also known as Seckle or sugar pear, this small, round fruit has a green to russet skin tinged with rose. Its flesh has a firm yet juicy texture and sweet and spicy flavour that is ideal for cooking and canning.

Williams' Bon Chretien

Also known as the Williams' pear and the Bartlett pear, this sweet, musky fruit has smooth skin that turns from dark green to yellow as it ripens. It is at its best when its speckles are surrounded by a tiny halo of green on an otherwise golden skin.