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eat PEARS

Another wonderful autumn treat, pears come in a range of flavours and textures and can be enjoyed in many different ways (other than as a delicious snack on their own). Exceptional when poached with red wine and vanilla, they are also stunning with chocolate as in the classic French dessert Poires Belle Hélène (see PICK OF THE RECIPES). Alternatively try them in salads or add to an after-dinner cheese board; they go particularly well with Pecorino or Roquefort.

HISTORY

The cultivation of pears goes back some 4,000 years. It is likely that they originated in the Caucasus region from where they spread west to Europe and east to Asia.

In Ancient times the pear was considered superior to the apple and outnumbered it in varieties grown. By 300 B.C. techniques such as grafting and cross-pollination of pears were known in Greece.

The Domesday Book of 1086 refers to pear trees as boundary markers in England, suggesting their cultivation at this time. The first important English pear, the Wardon (a cooking pear mentioned in Shakespeare's work) was introduced by Cistercian monks at Wardon in Bedfordshire.

Pear varieties were greatly improved during the eighteenth century, largely by horticulturalists in France and Belgium. The number of varieties growing in Britain rose from 64 in 1640 to over 700 by the late nineteenth century.

Today the Conference pear accounts for well over 90% of commercial production in this country. Imported pears account for around 80% of consumption.

BIOLOGY

Like its cousin the apple, the pear (Pyrus communis in Europe) is a member of the rose family. Botanically speaking a pear is a type of pome - a false fruit in which five carpels (the true fruit) form a core containing the seeds.

NUTRITION

Pears are a very good source of dietary fibre. They are rich in sugars and contain small amounts of phosphorus and vitamins A and C.

TIPS

BUYING
Pears are usually picked when slightly under-ripe and they improve in texture and flavour after picking. Ripe pears have an inviting fragrance and yield to gentle pressure at the stem end but slightly firmer pears are usually preferable for use in cooking.

Choose pears that are undamaged and well-coloured. Russeting (a matt brown speckling on the surface) is normal on many pears.

Widely available UK/European varieties include:

• Willams pears - golden yellow or red-tinged, juicy and sweet but with a firm texture, good for cooking.

• With a long, thin shape and russet skin, Conference pears have very sweet and juicy flesh.

• Comice is a French variety viewed by many to be the best pear. Tender, aromatic and richly-flavoured.

• Concord - a recently developed Conference/Comice hybrid - is particularly good in dishes involving chocolate.

STORING
A pear's window of optimum ripeness is smaller than that of apples. Store at room temperature to accelerate ripening and refrigerate ripe pears or those you won't be using for a few days.

PREPARING
Prepare pears as you would apples, starting with a brisk scrubbing under running water. Rubbing cut surfaces with lemon helps prevent discolouration. The pips contain amygdalin - a compound that the body breaks down into hydrogen cyanide, although you'd probably need to eat your body weight in pears to receive a lethal dose.

Cooking times for pears vary depending on variety, ripeness and desired consistency. Test for doneness with a skewer. We find that if you start with firmish pears you can usually cook them for some time longer than recipe recommendations without detrimental effect.

OTHER STUFF

The Anatomy of Dessert, an out-of-print book by Edward Bunyan, is a poetic celebration of English fruits and desserts in the early twentieth century. In it Bunyan writes:

"It is, in my view, the duty of an apple to be crisp and crunchable, but a pear should have such a texture as leads to silent consumption".

Visit the Three Counties Perry website for information on the traditional English drink made from pears and the Slow Food Presidium project aiming to safeguard its long-term future.

PICK OF THE RECIPES

in season:

january
february
march
april
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december

ONLINE

• Poires Belle Hélène

• Pears Baked in Marsala Wine

• Salad of Poached Pears, Walnuts and Gorgonzola

IN PRINT

• Chocolate Pear Pudding
  Very Simple Food

• Baked Pears with Honey, Marsala and Bay
  My Favourite Ingredients

• Sticky Gingerbread and Poached Pears
  Simply the Best: The Art of Seasonal Cooking