December is National Pear Month! While apples usually get all the glory in the colder seasons, pears belong right alongside them. Although Canadian pears are typically available from later summer into mid-December, more delicious varieties are also imported from countries where this fruit proliferates, namely the United States, South Africa, and New Zealand. More recently, Canada has developed the Cold Snap pear, grown and harvested in British Columbia later in the season so that Canadians can enjoy our country’s pears all winter long!
In Farm Boy stores, you’ll discover a wide selection of delicious pears that are ideal for your cooking, baking, snacking, and salad needs! Ask a Team Member if you have any questions, be sure to visit our flyer page for the juiciest deals, and read on to learn all about this juicy fruit!
Where Are Pears Grown in Canada?
Five major varieties of pear are grown in Ontario. These varieties are: Bartlett, Clapp’s Favourite, Anjou (or d’Anjou), Bosc, and Flemish Beauty. Throughout the country, they are mostly grown in regions with mild winters, like the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, southern Ontario, and Nova Scotia. Flemish Beauty can stand up the best to colder Ontario climates, while Anjou varieties have historically not been quite as successful (they do better in British Columbia).
How to Choose the Best Pears
- Choose fruits that feel relatively firm but give with slight pressure near the stem.
- Avoid any that have dark spots or punctures, although light bruising is fine, since they have such delicate skin.
- Pears ripen off the tree. Firm ones simply need more time to ripen. Place them in a paper bag or near apples and bananas to speed things along.
- Sniff to see if it has a pleasant, fragrant aroma.
- Consider what you’re using it for: firmer pears work better in cooked applications, while softer, juicier ones are better for salads and snacking.
Types of Pears
- Origin: France
- Flavour: Aromatic, sweet, and semi-crisp with notes of honey.
- Appearance: Long and slender with a slight curve and yellow-green base.
- Best For: Snacking, sandwiches, salads, cheese boards, and pizzas.
- Origin: Belgium
- Flavour: Subtly sweet and refreshing with a hint of lemon.
- Appearance: Short and squat, they can be either red or green.
- Best For: Salads, snacking, baking, poaching, roasting, and grilling.
- Origin: China
- Flavour: Very juicy, crunchy, and mild.
- Appearance: Round, large, and apple-shaped with bronze skin.
- Best For: Sauces, snacking, salads, canning, and roasting.
- Origin: England
- Flavour: Sweet and buttery when ripe, very juicy.
- Appearance: Classic pear-shape, available in both red and green that yellows as it ripens.
- Best For: Snacking, canning, salads, ciders, and cheese boards.
- Origin: France
- Flavour: Juicy and crisp with a delicate, honeyed sweetness.
- Appearance: Firm, with a cinnamon colour and slightly rough skin.
- Best For: Baking, poaching, and snacking.
- Origin: France
- Flavour: Delicate, sweet, buttery, and very juicy.
- Appearance: Light green with a blush of red, they’re often called “the Christmas pear”.
- Best For: Snacking, cheese boards, and salads.
- Origin: Belgium
- Flavour: Very juicy, sweet, slightly granular, and musky.
- Appearance: Large and rounded, with not much neck and a greenish-yellow hue.
- Best For: Snacking, canning, and baking.
- Origin: Portugal
- Flavour: Mild and moderately sweet.
- Appearance: Small-to-medium in size, oblong, yellow in colour with russeting near the stem.
- Best For: Snacking, poaching, cheese boards, and baking.
- Origin: Pennsylvania, USA
- Flavour: Crisp, juicy, crunchy, and very sweet when ripe.
- Appearance: Small and teardrop-shaped with an olive-green skin and red blush.
- Best For: Baking, poaching, snacking, pickling, sandwiches, and cocktails.
Pear FAQs
How can I tell if a pear is ripe?
Pears mature on trees but ripen once they’re picked. Some may not change colour as they ripen. The best way to determine if this fruit is ripe is to “check the neck”. Press gently near the stem with your thumb and if it gives to the pressure, it’s ripe and ready to enjoy!
Can I freeze pears?
It’s not recommended to freeze pears. The texture of them changes when they freeze due to the separation of the juice from the fibres. However, you can process them into a pie filling or sauce and freeze that! Otherwise, canning is the best method of preservation.
How can I make my pears ripen faster?
This fruit ripens best at room temperature, so keep them out of your fridge. Placing them in a paper bag or next to a bunch of bananas or apples will speed up this process.
Do red pears taste different from green ones?
The red versions of regular green pears (like Red Barlett or Red d’Anjou) taste very similar to their green counterparts. There may be a slight difference, but it’s not very noticeable.
“Pear-fect” Pear Products
Made with no added sugar and zero preservatives, artificial colours, or flavours, this juice is pure refreshment! In addition to enjoying it as a satisfying sipper, try incorporating it into an autumnal sangria, reducing it and adding powdered gelatin for homemade jellies, or as an ingredient in an Asian-inspired marinade!
Go gourmet with a taste of the Italian countryside with this sweet and savoury flatbread! With a thin, crispy, stone-baked crust, it makes for a luxurious lunch, dinner, or shareable appetizer. Pear, prosciutto, goat and blue cheeses, arugula pesto, and sweet onions make up a decadent, indulgent bite. Pour yourself a glass of something sparkling to enjoy this convenient, flavourful meal.
Recipes and Ideas!
Pear Citrus Chardonnay Mocktail
Ingredients: pear, non-alcoholic Chardonnay, orange blossom water, ice.
Floral, citrusy, and bright, this mocktail is a refreshing beverage for any occasion. If you’d like even more robust flavour, try making your own ginger-infused simple syrup for added autumnal spiciness—a natural pairing with pear and orange. Garnish with a dehydrated pear chip for an elegant presentation.
Chef’s Tip: Swirl in some edible glitter to add a little extra sparkle to this mocktail.
Old Fashioned Pear Spice Cake
Ingredients: sugar, canola oil, Greek yogurt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, flour, eggs, pears, pumpkin seeds, pecans, icing sugar, cream cheese, milk, vanilla extract.
This rustic cake makes great use of that Bundt pan in your cupboard! Naturally moist, this cake can also be enjoyed with your morning coffee or tea. (Hey, it has fruit and yogurt in it, so that mean’s a balanced breakfast, right?)
Chef’s Tip: This cake is even better the next day. Bake it the day before and glaze before serving.
Honey Ginger Poached Pears
Ingredients: water, sugar, honey, ginger, lemon, pears, ground cinnamon.
A light, delicious dessert at the end of any fall or winter feast, we have these poached pears. Poaching is a classic way to infuse fruits with different flavours. You can serve them with a scoop of Farm Boy™ Vanilla Vanilla Ice Cream or Farm Boy™ Oat-Rageous Vanilla Bean Frozen Dessert for any dairy-free guests.
Chef’s Tip: Serve with a spoonful of warmed Farm
Boy™ Banana Bread Caramel Sauce for added decadence.
More Dishes & Suggestions
What To Pair With Pears
This fruit pairs beautifully with a variety of delicious foods and flavours. From other fruits and veggies to proteins, cheeses, spices, and more, there’s a bountiful array of delicious tastes to discover!
Fruits
- Apples
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Blackberries
- Cherries
- Cranberries
- Dates
- Figs
- Grapes
- Guava
- Lemons
- Limes
- Lychees
- Oranges
- Persimmons
- Pineapples
- Plums
- Pomegranate
- Raspberries
Veggies
- Arugula
- Cabbage
- Celery
- Fennel
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Onion
- Parsnip
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Shallot
- Spinach
Herbs & Spices
- Allspice
- Cardamom
- Chives
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Ginger
- Mint
- Nutmeg
- Rosemary
- Tarragon
- Thyme
Nuts
- Almonds
- Chestnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Pecans
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
Protein & Dairy
- Blue cheese
- Brie cheese
- Crème fraiche
- Duck
- Feta cheese
- Goat cheese
- Halloumi
- Ham/Pork
- Parmesan cheese
- Ricotta cheese
Sweets
- Caramel
- Chocolate
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
- Vanilla
Did you know?
- There are over 3000 varieties of pear in the world!
- The history of the fruit dates back to about 1000 B.C.
- In Chinese culture, they are a symbol of immortality.
- Pears are part of the rose family.
- In China, some pears are grown in a Buddha-shaped mold as a form of edible art. They cost about $10 each!
- Lightweight yet strong with a unique woodgrain, pear wood is often used to create artistic carvings and musical instruments.
