Pears

Winter would be a rough season for locavores without the reprieve of hearty fruits like apples, citrus and – best of all – pears. From August through February, you can find a variety of pears at the farmer’s market ready for the taking. The most common ones include Anjou, Bartlett, Bosc, and Comice. Anjous are either red or green (pictured above), larger than most other pear varieties and great for baking or eating raw. Earlier in the season, you can spot bright green barletts and can count on its sturdy flesh to hold up well in baking. Bosc pears look a bit dingy with their brown skin, but pair scrumptiously with bold cheeses or spicy greens like arugula. Finally, Comice pears have yellow, green and sometimes red coloring and are delicious raw. They are also the least common and most expensive.

• How to pick: Choose pears that are firm, but give slightly when you gently press the flesh at the base of the stem. Avoid pears with blemishes or soft spots. Don’t worry if the color isn’t uniform; some types of pears have multicolored flesh.
• How to store: Pears spoil very quickly once they ripen, so plan on eating them within a few days. Store them at room temperature in the meantime.
• How to prepare: Pears are delicious eaten raw, like an apple, because the flesh is so sweet and buttery. The skin is loaded with fiber, but if it is too tough for your taste, just peel it off. If you are adding cut pears to a salad, toss them with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.
• Recipe Ideas: Smear pear wedges with a bit of goat cheese for a quick app. Toss sliced pears with arugula, goat cheese, toasted pecans and balsamic vinaigrette for a tasty winter salad. Or pan roast pear wedges with a little butter for a delicious side. Stay tuned for my Pear Tarte Tatin later this week!
• Fun fact: Before modern agriculture, pears were known as the “gift of gods.”

Tagged as: anjou, bartlett, bosc, comic, pear, pears, recipe