Washington growers produce many delicious varieties of pears: red and green anjou, red and green bartlett, bosc, comice, concord, seckle, farelle and starkrimson. Each pear variety has a distinctive character, texture, and flavor.
Pears are one of the few fruits that are picked before they ripen on the tree. The video below shows how to handle your pears to get the best flavor.
Pair your Washington grown pears with a fine Washington state wine. Click here to discover which cheeses, wines and pears go best together
Pair two Washington fruits together. Try this recipe for Pear and Blueberry Pie Bars.
Pear Buying Tips
Look for smooth, unblemished skins. Pears are harvested fully mature, but unripe and should be quite firm when you purchase them. Let your pear ripen at room temperature, checking daily for ripeness. To see when it’s ready, press gently on the neck of the pear. If it gives slightly, it is ripe. If you wait until the body of the pear is soft, it will be over-ripe.
Pears Take a Road Trip to China.
Photo courtesy Pear Bureau Northwest
The Pear Bureau Northwest reports over 57% of USA pears are grown in the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys of Washington. These pears are markedly different than pears grown in Asia. For the last three years, Chinese consumers and trading partners have been introduced to Washington pears through in-store sampling, social media and seminars on commercial care and handling. As a result, China has become the eighth largest export destination for USA pears.