Pears, Pears, Pears

Oregon is the largest pear producing state in the US. There are more than 370 growers in the state, together owning about 19,400 acres of pear trees, and harvesting more than 800 million pears per year.Pears are one of the few fruits that don't ripen successfully on the tree. They're picked when they have reached full size, but before the onset of ripening. If they're left on the tree to ripen, they become quite mealy and unpleasant in texture.

There are two types of pears you can eat - winter pears and Asian pears. Winter such as the Yellow Bartlett, Green Anjou, and Bosc pears get soft, sweet and juicy when ripe while Asian pears are crunchy and juicy like apples when they're ripe.

Tips on Pear Picking

Pears ripen from the inside out, so you can't judge their ripeness by looking at the skin. To test if a pear is ripe, apply gentle pressure near the stem end. If it gives slightly, it's most likely ready to be eaten. The pear's unusual ripening process has its advantages. It offers you the opportunity to ripen pears as needed. A couple of days before you plan to eat them, put the pears in a brown paper bag. The bag will capture the ethylene, a gas that most ripening fruits give off. Ethylene also affects changes in color and flavor, converts starch to sugar, and causes the fruit to soften. After a couple of days in the bag, the pears should be just right.

Once pears are ripe, they have a relatively short shelf life, so eat them right away or refrigerate them and eat them within a day or two.

Bartlett Pears