pears
Moisture from meandering rivers and glacial snowmelt feeds the region’s nutrient-rich volcanic soil that creates the ideal environment for pear tree nourishment. With these idyllic growing conditions, it’s no wonder Pacific Northwest pear growers produce over 80 percent of the nation’s fresh pears. The top pear varietals for WA state are green Anjou, Bartlett and Bosc. Production starts in August and ends in October. Pears are unique in that they don't ripen well on the trees. They are picked under ripe by hand to preserve the texture. Pears will ripen in 7-10 days on the counter.
ANJOU
Sweet, aromatic flavor with hint of citrus, juicy, dense, firm texture.
A salad pear, best when eaten fresh. Has abundant juice when ripe, and a sweet mellow flavor. Shows no color change in ripening. If firm, ripen at room temperature until they yield to gentle pressureSkin color shows only very subtle color change while ripening.
AVAILABLE OCTOBER - AUGUST
BARTLETT
Sweet, aromatic, floral essence, juicy, smooth texture.
Bartletts are extremely aromatic pears with a sweet floral essence. Ripens to bright yellow from a light green when still unripe. Excellent fresh eating pear, but holds shape and flavor in cooking process. A choice canning pear. Often, the Bartletts found in grocery stores are green, and then they change to yellow as they ripen at home when left at room temperature.
AVAILABLE AUGUST - JANUARY
COMICE
Mellow flavor, richly sweet; very juicy, creamy texture.
One of the sweetest and juiciest of all pears. They are most often green in color, and sometimes have a red blush covering small to large areas of the skin surface. A dessert pear, very flavorful, fresh, in salads, an excellent accompaniment to fine cheese.
AVAILABLE OCTOBER - MARCH
BOSC
Honey-sweet, spicy flavor, crisp, dense, tender texture.
Bosc are unique for their color and conical shape: a warm cinnamon brown with natural russeting over the surface of the skin. Excellent for baking, this pear is also an excellent choice for salads and fresh out-of-hand eating.
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER - MARCH
RESOURCES: http://usapears.org, http://treefruit.wsu.edu