Pears
The wild pear has been a favourite of the Chinese, Greeks, Romans
and Egyptians since Antiquity. Pears have been cultivated for over
3000 years and there are now hundreds of varieties.
Like the apple tree, the pear tree is part of the Rosaceae family and grows in temperate regions.
Though some varieties are round, the pear is generally oblong,
narrow at the stalk end, bulging towards the calyx. The pear has
thin, generally smooth, edible skin; it can be yellow, brown, red
or green. The pear's white flesh is delicate and sweet, its core is
similar to that of an apple and may contain up to twelve
pips.
Like the banana and the avocado, the pear is picked from the tree
before it is ripe. It then ripens during shipping and warehousing
under controlled temperature.
- Choose firm, smooth pears that have a fruity aroma and show no bruises or mould. The flesh should yield slightly to gentle pressure.
- When unblemished, it is recommended to eat the skin because it is very rich in vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, people with fragile stomachs may want to peel the fruit because the skin is harder to digest than the flesh.
- Like apples, pears can be eaten fresh or cooked in compotes, jellies, jams, syrups or coulis.
- Once cut, the flesh of the pear oxidizes quickly. A sprinkle of lemon juice will slow the browning process and add a little more vitamin C.
- Pears should be kept away from strong foods like onions as they absorb odours easily.
- The Williams variety of pears is used to make the famous Poire
William brandy. And in case you’re wondering how they get the pear
in the bottle without damaging the fruit, it seems they hang the
bottle from the tree and the pear develops inside the bottle.
 Ciabata baguete with brie and pears |
 Wine-Poached Pears |
 Grilled Pear-and-cheddar-stuffed Pork Tenderloins |
 Honeyed Pear and Almond Tart |
 Chocolate Pears |
Pears are available year-round in your METRO supermarket, but are most plentiful in August and September.
The pear is high in fibre and contains copper, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and phosphorus. It also has laxative, diuretic and sedative properties.
Let firm pears ripen at room temperature, then wrap individually in paper towels, transfer into a plastic bag and store in the fruit drawer of your refrigerator. Use in the next couple of days.
Pears freeze very well, allowing you to enjoy freshly harvested and different varieties of pears all year long. Always start with fresh, good-quality, ripe pears. Pears that are too ripe will become mushy with freezing and unripe pears will remain hard after freezing.
To freeze, the pears should be peeled, seeded and cut in halves or quarters, then blanched in boiling lemon water for a few minutes. Drain and cool immediately under cold water. Frozen in this fashion, pears will keep for six months to a year.
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Anjou | Becomes sweeter, juicier, and more flavourful as it ripens. |
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Red Anjou
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Becomes sweeter and juicier as it ripens.
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Bartlett
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Juicy, sweet, fragrant fruit with very fragile skin. Ideal for snacks or baking
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Red Bartlett
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Sweet and juicy.
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Bosc
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Very crunchy, ideal for baking, poaching and
desserts.
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Comice
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Sweetest and juiciest of all pear
varieties.
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Forelle
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Crunchy and juicy, excellent for snacks and
salads.
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Seckel
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Very small and very sweet. Ideal for
snacks and preserves.
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Anjou, just ripe
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Very sweet and very juicy.
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Abatti
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Ideal for poaching and pies.
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Asian
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Mostly eaten fresh, out of hand.
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Rocha
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Eaten fresh, out of hand.
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Crimson
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The perfect pear, especially for poaching in
syrup.
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Your neighbourhood Metro store welcomes a new
arrival : the Fragrant pear.
North America welcomes a new arrival: the Fragrant pear. From the
Xinjiang region of northwest China, the Fragrant pear is a crunchy
pear apple, like other Asian pears. Its texture and sweet taste,
however, is similar to the popular Bartlett pear.
Somewhat smaller and more elongated than regular pears, the Fragrant pear has white flesh, a light green or yellow, sometimes reddish skin, and is almost perfectly oval in shape.