Did you know?
Many red pears simply are mutations of more common pears such as Bartletts and Anjous. These fruits don’t merely blush; they are crimson from top to bottom, making a bright addition to fall salads, fruit bowls or centerpieces for the table.
The red Bartlett was first discovered near Zillah, Wash., in 1938, according to the Pear Bureau Northwest marketing group. Another variation, the Starkrimson, appeared on a tree of Clapp’s Favorite pears at a nursery in Missouri in the 1950s. Other red pear varieties also appear in late summer and fall.
Buying tips
All pears are picked while still firm and must finish ripening at home. The timing of this can be tricky, according to “Jane Grigson’s Fruit Book.” When the pear “gives slightly around the stem” area, it is ripe enough to eat, “but should be in no way squashy.” Look for pears with few blemishes.
Storage hints
Storing the pears in a paper bag at room temperature hastens the ripening process. If you can’t eat fully ripe pears immediately, store them in the refrigerator fruit drawer. If possible, bring them to room temperature first for the best flavor.
Cooking suggestions
Red pears mimic other pears in flavor. Bartlett pears, red or yellow, have flesh that is sweet when ripe and a bit “musky,” according to the late Alan Davidson in “The Oxford Companion to Food.” Pears are ideal for cooking, as well as out-of-hand eating. Their mild flavor teams well with many other flavors, such as vanilla, almonds and chocolates in desserts, wrote Davidson. But the fruit also can be roasted with meats and poultry. Try red pear halves tossed with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced thyme and salt and then roasted for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Perhaps the most famous pear dessert, as described by Davidson, is the French poires Belle-Helene, named after the Offenbach operetta about Helen of Troy. It teams poached pears with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream.
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chaddix@tribune.com
