"Pear"fect Fruit

Pear-facts

-Pears are one of the oldest cultivated and beloved fruits. History dates the back to 5,000 B.C. in China
-In the Odessey, the Greek poet Homer lauds pears as a "gift of the gods."
-The Romans documented extensive pear growing. Pomona the godess of fruit was cherished member of the Roman Pantheon.
-Because of their versatility and long storage life, pears were a valuble commidity among trading routes in the ancient world.
-A pear tree was immortalized alongside a partridge in the 18th-century Christmas carol, The 12 Days of Christmas.
-Early colonists brought the 1st pear trees to America's eastern settlements where they thrived until suffering crop blights.
-Pear trees were brought to the Pacific Northwest in the 1800's where they still thrive today!


Pears are a Healthy Choice!

-Pears are loaded with fiber. A medium size pear can contain as much as 24% of your recommended daily allowance for fiber, which is helpful for weight loss (helps you feel full) and is good for your heart, digestive system and cholesterol levels.
-Pears are a good source of Vitamin C (10 % of the RDA), an essential antioxidant.
-Pears have no sodium, cholesterol or saturated fat.
-A medium size pear only has 100 calories.
-The average pear equates to two half cup servings for fruit, or half of the daily recommended intake. The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGFA) recommends a healthy diet contain at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups for fruits and vegetables a day based on age, gender and physical activity.


Varieties of Pears at Brennans

-Yellow Bartlett- Very sweet and juicy. Excellent for canning and cooking
-Red Bartlett- Similar to Yellow Bartletts
-Green Anjou- Abundant juice and sweet flavor when ripe. They do not change color as they ripen.
-Red Anjou- Similar to Green Anjous. Remains maroon when ripe.
-Bosc- highly aromatic flavorful pear. Dense flesh miakes it ideal for baking or cooking. They are brown and often russeted. They dont change color when they ripen
-Comice- One of the sweetest, juicest varieties, and are often very large. An elegant dessert pear with cheese.
-Concorde- Known for its tall, elogated neck and firm dense flesh. Has a vanilla sweet flavor and firm texture that holds up well when baking, grilling or poaching. Shows little color change during ripening.
-Seckel- Tiny and ultra-sweet flavor. Maroon and olive green in color. Great for childrens snacks, pickling or as a garnish.
-Asian Pear- Asian pears comprise a large group of pear varieties having crisp, juicy fruit that is often described as tasting melon-like or floral. They are best for fresh eating and are good in salads. Unlike European varieties of pears such as Bartlett or Comice, Asian pears are ready to eat when harvested and hold their quality for several months with proper refrigeration. Their crisp texture remains unchanged after picking or storage. By comparison, European pear varieties do not ripen on the tree but require time after harvest to reach maturity.


Pear Uses/ Ripening Pears

-Pears do not ripen well on trees. They are harvested mature but unripe and need to be ripened after harvest. Bartlett pears change from green to yellow as they ripen. Non-Bartlett pears (Anjou, Bosc, Comice, Seckel and Forelle) do not dramatically change color as they ripen. Because pears ripen from the inside out, the best way to check for ripeness is to "check the neck for ripeness". To do this, gently press near the stem with your thumb. When it gives to gentle pressure it is ripe, juicy and ready to eat. If you wait until the pear is soft around the middle chances are it will be overripe.

-Placing pears in a paper bag will help them ripen faster. Be sure to check them daily so they don't get overripe. You can also leave them out in a fruit bowl and enjoy their beauty as they ripen. Add apples or bananas to speed up the process. Place ripe pears in the refrigerator to slow further ripening.

-Pears are very versatile. In addition to being served raw in almost anything, pears bake, poach, sauté, roast and grill very nicely. They can be used as an ingredient in baked goods, and can be made into preserves, jams and chutneys. Anything that can be done with an apple can be done with a pear.