"Autumn's pear crop is always a showstopper. Initially, it's their voluptuous contours that captivate. The long, slender necks and arched stems of Bosc pears, the round, silhouette of Comice. In the marketplace most often, they are as hard as boulders. They feel more like baseballs than fruit. Not a whisper of sublime sweetness. Not a whiffet of sensuous aroma. They are picked mature but before ripened, then kept in controlled-atmosphere storage. Tree-ripened pears get mushy because they ripen from the inside out."
"The bag-ripening process works like a charm. Place those ever-so-firm pears in a paper bag and loosely fold the top closed. Let them sit at room temperature, checking them every day until the area at the base of the stem slightly yields to gentle pressure. Pears ripen from the inside out, so they usually are ready when there is only a slight give. Then either use or refrigerate them."
"Roasted pears are delicious used in both savory and sweet dishes. They pair irresistibly with pork; serve them alongside broiled or sauteed pork chops topped just before serving with chutney or chopped macadamia nuts. Or for dessert, serve them with ice cream (salted caramel and butter pecan are favorites). Or for an appetizer, serve them sliced atop toasted baguette slices spread with goat cheese."
Autumn produce inspires seasonal cooking focused on pears with distinctive shapes like Bosc, Comice and Bartlett. Supermarket pears often arrive firm because they are picked mature but unripe and kept in controlled-atmosphere storage. Home ripening needs buying firm pears three to five days before use, placing them in a paper bag with the top loosely folded, and checking daily until the base of the stem yields slightly to gentle pressure. Pears ripen from the inside out, so a slight give signals readiness; then refrigerate or use. Roasted pears suit savory dishes with pork and sweet desserts with ice cream or goat cheese crostini.
Read at Daily News
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