Different Varieties

Pears make an easy snack (which unfortunately bruise easily in a pocket) that the author of the blog Painfully Enamored with Food states that they take "...nearly zero effort to consume. Because they were appropriately ripe, I really just had to kind of hold them in front of my face, and wait for them to naturally absorb. Yeah, I ate them, but it took virtually no effort at all."

I'm going to admit that I've eaten at least one pear every day for the past several months, and I can't tell whether or not my stomach appreciates this. Ancient medical texts written by Pliny the Elder or the 16th century physician Gerad might warn me to avoid raw pears and instead "boil them with honey" to avoid "binding the stomach" (i.e. cause constipation).

In reality, pears cause the opposite effect on the digestive system, due to the high amounts of insoluble fiber present in the pulp. The average sized pear is around 100 calories per serving- a package of readily available carbohydrates, vitamin C, and up to 6 grams of fiber (depending on your size and gender, represents about 25% of our daily fiber reccomendations). Another neat fact about the pear is that it is one of the least allergenic fruits, and are recommended to people with severe food allergies.



Bartlett

As the #1 variety found in grocery stores in the United States, most people have probably eaten Bartletts at least once before. Originally a wildling found in England, the trees themselves became widespread as people saw how adaptible they are to different climates and soils. Overseas, they are called by their traditional name, William's Bon Chretien.

Juicy and fine grained, the flat, one-dimensional sweetness lends it's flavor to be described as "good, not best quality", which seems to be overlooked as the oblong-obtuse pyriform shaped fruits are encased in a thin, attractive bright yellow-green skin that doesn't get stuck in your teeth. They look very tidy in the grocery store, as the fruits are reliably large and uniform in size. Besides fresh eating, they are also frequently canned (think Dole sliced pears).  



Bosc

  

I'm going to let my bias come through in this description. The Beurre Bosc (beurre, which means "butter" in French) is one of the most flavorful and elegant pears to cook with. They are one of the few widely available varieties in grocery stores all over the world. Their distinctive russet colored skin and elongated, true pyriform shape lends cooks to leave them whole for poaching or baking. The flesh holds together well when cooked, being very fine grained and surprisingly crisp even when fully ripe, with floral and spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.  

Magness

A Comice and Seckel hybrid that captures some of the incredible sweetness of the Seckel and delivers it in a larger sized fruit. The bright green skin is a bit thicker than average, but not tough. Palm sized, it has a semi-firm texture that makes a good snack for transport since it doesn't drip all over your face and hands when you eat it. 



Flemish Beauty

I've eaten quite of few of these lately, and they taste like summer. They're very handsome fruits, too, ripening into a gentle yellow color with light patches of pink and red. There's something almost tropical in its sweetness, reminiscent of guavas and papaya with a hint of flowers that you catch when you breathe in while taking a bite. The flesh, when perfectly ripe, melts away in your mouth like custard. Another favorite of mine.   

Seckel

Also known as the "sugar pear", the Seckel is a rather unique and novel American variety that originated in the back yard of a man named Mr. Seckle. The small, egg shaped fruit often has a dark rosy blush and smattering of light freckles. The texture of the flesh is firm and crisp, and is by far the sweetest variety I've come across. It is sweet in the way that honey is sweet, which does not cloy on the tongue. The only downside is that the small size means that one cannot expect a single fruit to satisfy their appetite. Settling to satisfy a sweet tooth, however, is an option. 

*Disclaimer: I am not paid by the Northwestern Pear Bureau to exalt the pear, in case anyone was wondering. Maybe they should be paying me...

Resources:

1) LindseyinSeattle. "Pears Are Better Than Apples." Web log post. Painfully Enamored with Food. Blogspot, 7 May 2013. Web. 8 Nov. 2013. http://painfullyenamoredwithfood.blogspot.com/2013/05/pears-are-better-than-apples.html. 

2) Hedrick, U. P., and G. H. Howe. "The Pears of New York". Albany: J.B. Lyon Co. printers, 1921. Print.

Handcarved Pearwood Spoon

Securing the green pear log in place to make a 16" section cut to accomodate a 12" long spoon

I read an article that was originally published in British Woodworking Magazine about pear wood, which described it as being one of the finest timbers to use for delicate carving. It is typically used for small projects like cabinets and boxes since it is expensive and rare to come by. The wood itself comes in shades of rosy browns, with no noticeable grain that is "well behaved" and gives way to "silky shavings".

Back in the very beginning of September this year, a fierce wind storm took a toll on the Sterling pear tree, leaving a gaping hole in the crown of the tree where one of the main trunk branches and one or two other larger limbs were torn down. As soon as I'd heard about the damage I went out to collect the fallen fruit and stashed two 50 lb. logs in a safe place where I hoped no one would carry them off to get chipped for mulch or chuck them into the burn pile.

My intent is to further bridge my connection with this tree, to make something practical and useful outside of the delicious food and artwork that I've been pursuing. I'd read in an article by My original plan was to make chopsticks, but when I approached my friend, Ethan, who is a great woodworker, about learning how to use the handtools, he said, "No, you should make a spoon. Chopsticks are too easy."

He proceeded to show me how to select the straightest piece of the branch, smooth out the log with a hatchet, trace out the shape of the spoon, and begin gouging out the outline. I decided to go for a 12" spoon with a somewhat wide scoop to it, which I pictured using to stir pans of sauteing pears or serve grainy salads with.

Seeing as the semester has already ended, I haven't yet had time to go back and finish it, but it's patiently waiting for me out in the snowbank where it will hopefully not dry out and crack (Gospel according to Ethan H.).