Root Source: Bartlett Pear

by Cookthink

what you should know Edward Bunyard wrote that while it is the "duty of an apple to be crisp and crunchable, a pear should have such a texture as leads to silent consumption." America's most popular pear, the Bartlett, usually arrives at the grocery store crisp and crunchable, well away from full ripeness. (To ripen them at home, store pears in a bowl or a paper bag.) As a Bartlett nears its "silence," it goes from green to yellow. Pears ripen from the inside out, so when the flesh near the stem gives to gentle pressure, a Bartlett is juicy and sweet and ready to eat. Usually, you don't need to even touch a Bartlett to know when it's ripe. The showy aroma will give it away. A really ripe Bartlett smells like a wine bar at last call. pairing pears As heady as a ripe Bartlett is by itself, we like to cook with not-quite-ripe pears. A crisp Bartlett thinly sliced adds a mild sweetness to sandwiches and salads. We also like to dice light green Bartletts and toss them on soups and spicy dishes.     williams vs. bartlett Before it was called the Bartlett, it was known as the Williams pear, which is what it's still called in the UK and other parts of the world. How did the Williams become the Bartlett? what you need One of the best and oddest books about fruit ever published, Edward Bunyard's Anatomy of Dessert is a true anatomy. It's a record of a better, more flavorful era in fruit. Speaking of great, odd books about fruit, Robert Palter's massive The Duchess of Malfi's Apricots, and Other Literary Fruits could be said to be a pome tome. If it's just pears you're into, Barbara Flores' Great Book of Pears is the final word on the matter. what you do We've been on a pita pizza kick lately. This one with prosciutto, caramelized onion and pear is salty, sweet and rich. It's too good to be as easy as it is. Sliced or diced pear adds a mild sweetness that rounds out soups and salads. This dandelion, pear, blue cheese and walnut salad is a study in clean contrast. It's hard to beat that traditional boulangerie staple, the ham and gruyère sandwich. But adding thinly sliced pears does beat it. We try out a lot of new recipes every week. This pear and potato gratin is one of the best surprises we've had in a while. Please make it. Try it with a grilled pork tenderloin and a fennel salad. Two classic pear desserts with slight tweaks: pears poached in red wine and cardamom and baked pears with caramel, crème fraîche and pistachios.