The Concorde Pear

One of the Newer Variety Pears to arrive to the market are the Concorde Pears. These are coming out of the states of Oregon and Washington. Up until this season, they have mainly been available at the local Farmer's Markets, and High-End Specialty Grocers in the Oregon and Washington State areas only. This was because there was very little production of the pear. But this year, for the very first time, there is a large bounty of the Concorde, and it's finding its way to Grocery Stores across America.

These are Firm, Sweet, and Full of Juice. Growers describe the taste as "Earthy, with a hint of Vanilla". It's Truly a unique Pear. The Concorde is a cross between a Bosc pear, which is perfect for cooking, and a European Comice variety, which is a Delicious and Delicately Sweet eating Pear. So now you get the Best of Both Worlds. A pear that will hold up to cooking, and a fabulous eating out-of -hand pear. And to top it off, the Concorde has slower oxidation qualities, which means it browns much slower once cut than the other varieties. A perfect addition to fruit salads!

The Concorde Pear has an elongated neck like the Bosc. It's green to slightly bronze in color. It doesn't have a color change when ripe. Remember, pears ripen from the in-side-out. That means if you wait until the "Belly" of the pear is soft, it will be over ripe and mushy in the inside. To properly check for ripeness, gently feel the top of the Pear for
softness--Then you'll know that it's ripe.




That's what's
"Fresh from the Market''
this week.

The Produce Guy

theproduceguy@yahoo.com

(photos courtesy of USA Pears)

http://www.usapears.com/