Description
The best pear for cooking is the Bosc Pear because it holds its shape so well. This pear starts out russet brown, developing a more golden hue as it ripens. It’s pendular-shaped, and the stem end gets noticeably soft and wrinkly when ripe. The flavor reminds me of cinnamon, with perhaps a hint of nutmeg, and it’s my favorite – great to eat “out of hand”, as well as to cook with!
Lehne Farms LLC in Roseburg grows Bosc using IPM practices, and harvest usually happens in late September. The Bosc then spend 2-4 weeks in the cooler to raise its sugar content (the “brix” as it’s known in the industry), before coming out of the cooler to finish ripening on your counter. Bosc can stay in the farmer’s cooler for months, getting sweeter the longer it stays in the cold. Once Bosc are pulled out, they can take up to 7-10 days to fully ripen.
Did you know, you can tell when ANY pear is ripe by how much “give” there is around the stem of the pear. The more give around the stem (at the “neck” so to speak), the riper it is. (With the exception of the Bartlett, most pears don’t change color as they ripen, so color is NOT a good indicator.) Pears ripen from the inside out, so by the time a pear is soft around the middle, it’s likely rotten on the inside. Since the neck of a pear is the first place to get soft, checking for ripeness here guarantees that you won’t bite into a rotten pear!
Remember this catchy saying – “Check the Neck” – and you’ll always know when your pears are ready to eat!
