Patty,
The bitterness is always in the peel on those pears. Did not detect the taste until I grew enough pears to compare them. I really enjoy this old article from the 80’s that compares a few common pears. The bitter flavor never comes up but the author knew plenty about eating pears. " PLENTIFUL PEARS:A GUIDE TO BUYING AND EATING THEM
By FLORENCE FABRICANT
Published: October 24, 1984
LIKE so much American produce, pears can be bought the year round. Yet a glance at the profusion of pears at the greengrocers’ these days confirms that there is a winter season for them: it started this month and runs through June.
Finding five or six kinds of pears now - they range in price from 49 cents to $1.29 a pound, about the same as last year - is not uncommon. Golden and red Bartlett, russet Bosc, juicy Comice, plump Anjou and that autumn specialty, the drab and sweetly crunchy Seckel pear, have arrived. Greenmarkets, farm stands and fancy-food shops may carry other locally grown varieties. Dean & DeLuca, for example, has been selling delicately slender de Voe pears grown upstate. The curious Oriental apple-pear, which looks like a small yellow apple, tastes like a crisp, textured pear and is, in fact, a type of pear, is also available. The blush-red Forelles are expected soon.
In many respects pears contradict the assumptions the careful shopper may have about buying produce. Like the nearly indestructable green pepper, pears are a shipper’s dream because they are best when picked before they are fully ripe. A pear that has been allowed to ripen on the tree will acquire a woody texture or an exaggerated grittiness.
Once picked, pears must be quickly chilled to 35 degrees so that they will ripen with the proper texture and flavor. Some of the crop is stored in an oxygen-free, controlled atmosphere for release late in the season.
Markets may often display ripe pears, but they will probably have ripened in the store and, depending on how they have been kept, may be bruised. Since there is no guarantee that shoppers will find ripe pears in a market on the day they wish to use them, it is best to plan ahead when serving them. Purchase hard pears and allow them to sit on the kitchen counter (or in a paper bag or a ripening bowl with a banana or two) for as many as four or five days. Do not refrigerate a pear until it is fully ripe. Well-chilled ripe pears will keep a long as a week.
Pears ripen from the inside out, so do not wait until the pear is soft. A pear is ripe when gentle pressure can be applied around the stem end while the rest of the fruit is fairly firm to the touch. For cooking it is often advisable to use pears that are slightly underripe.
Ripeness cannot be determined by color in most cases, the exception being the Bartlett, a summer pear that is in season from July to December. The Bartlett changes from green to yellow as it ripens, as does the undercolor of the red Bartlett.
A properly ripened pear will have a buttery texture without being soft, a rich juiciness and a mellow, sweet flavor balanced by a hint of acid tartness. It is a complex taste worth savoring. Most of the pears grown in this country are European and fit that description; those descended from Oriental strains, among them the Seckel, tend to be harder, with a slight grittiness in the texture.
Alexandre Dumas remarked that the pear is an excellent example of the benefits of cultivation. ‘‘A pear that comes from cultivated stock is one of our best fruits,’’ he said in ‘‘Le Grand Dictionnaire de la Cuisine.’’ ‘‘If we compare the small size, hardiness and bitter taste of the wild pear with the huge size, sweetness and softness of many of our beautiful fruits, we realize what a marvelous influence cultivation has had.’’
The Oregon-Washington-California Pear Institute recognizes nine varieties of commercially important pears of the more than 3,000 varieties catalogued by botanists. Seven are widely available today: Bartlett, red Bartlett, Bosc, Comice, Anjou, Forelle and Seckel.
The Nellis has virtually gone out of production and the Packham is no longer widely grown in the United States; however, it is often imported from the Southern Hemisphere. Clapp’s favorite and the Warden pear have disappeared from the commercial market.
According to Herbert Diede, manager of the pear institute, the pear of the future will be red. The success of the red Bartlett has led growers to cultivate red Anjou and red Comice pears, which, like the red Bartlett, are accidental strains, or ‘‘sports.’’ They appeared on trees, and growers developed them as separate strains that, Mr. Diede emphasized, are not hybrids. Although the flavor of the red-skinned pears and their green or yellow counterparts is identical, the reds command higher prices, and growers find them more profitable because they are more resistant to disease.
Judging from the shelves of supermarkets and fancy-food shops, the pear is one of the least preferred fruits for preserving. Pear preserves are difficult to find; a number of those available taste more of sugar, caramel, ginger or something other than pears.
Among the best products are Sarabeth’s lemon pear butter ($8 for 16 ounces at Sarabeth’s Kitchen 412 Amsterdam Avenue (79th Street), 1295 Madison Avenue (92d Street), and Bloomingdale’s; Saint-Remy confiture de poire ($6.50 for 12 ounces, Saint-Remy, 818 Lexington Avenue (63d Street)), Emelia pear and lemon marmelo with ginger ($5.60 for 10.5 ounces at Dean & DeLuca, 121 Prince Street) and Silver Palate American pear-plum preserves ($3.65 for 14 ounces, widely available). Poiret pear and apple spread from Belgium is another excellent product that is available in supermarkets ($1.99 for 8 ounces). Some new Poiret pear-fruit combinations will be on the market within the next month.
A ripe pear, perhaps with a cheese - Stilton or Gorgonzola being classic - is a superb dessert. Pears marry beautifully with many other flavors, including chocolate, ginger, caramel, red and white wines, port and sherry, and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans and chestnuts. The most superb dessert at Taillevent in Paris is a pear souffle made by folding diced, poached pears into an Italian meringue (egg whites beaten with hot sugar syrup), baking the souffle and serving it hot with a custard sauce.
Pears do not have to be limited to dessert. At Jack’s restaurant, 1022 Lexington Avenue (73d Street), the spa cuisine menu includes a salad of dandelion greens or arugula with slices of pear, a dressing made of one part oil (a blend of olive, sesame and walnut) to one and a half parts balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of Minnesota blue cheese. Pear slices can be stir-fried with strips of calf’s liver and mincings of ginger; made into a spicy compote or chutney and served with roasts, or baked on toast rounds with a topping of Stilton for an hors d’oeuvre. When using pears in recipes, cut surfaces should be brushed with lemon to prevent browning.
Pears make an excellent French sherbet served with a splash of eau de vie de poire, the pear spirits often sold with a whole pear in the bottle. Other potable pears include the perry, or pear, cider sometimes sold at farm stands and pear nectar, especially that imported from Belgium and available in supermarkets and groceries. Paul Thomas, a Washington State wine maker, produces a lovely, fruity yet dry Bartlett pear wine that is being distributed in this area. Village Vintner, 448 Avenue of the Americas (10th Street), has it for $6.29 a bottle.
Pears in Red Wine Glaze 8ripe, unblemished pears with
stems
Juice of one lemon 1.5liters dry red wine, about 6 cups 1cup sugar 1vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/4cup cognac.
1.*Peel pears. Using point of swivel-bladed potato peeler, scoop out core from bottoms. Hole should be no more than 1/2 inch in diameter. Place pears in bowl of cold water to which half of lemon juice has been added.
2.*Bring wine, sugar and vanilla to simmer in a 3-to-4-quart saucepan. Drain pears, place in simmering wine standing upright and cook gently about 15 minutes, until they are tender but still hold shape.
3.*Using slotted spoon to drain well, remove pears to serving dish that will hold them standing upright. Set aside.
4.*Raise heat under saucepan and boil wine down until syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups. This will take at least 20 minutes. Stir in remaining lemon juice and cognac. Strain syrup, pour it over pears and refrigerate until ready to serve, basting with syrup from time to time as they chill. Serve in stemmed goblets.
Yield: 8 servings.
Pear-Almond Cake 2pounds ripe pears, peeled, cored
and sliced
Juice of one lemon Zcup butter at room temperature 1cup sugar 2eggs 1cup flour 1/2teaspoon baking powder 1/2teaspoon salt 1/2teaspoon almond extract 1/2cup sliced almonds 2tablespoons eau de vie de poire
(optional).
1.*Butter and flour 9-inch springform cake pan.
2.*Toss pears with half of lemon juice and set aside.
3.*Cream 8 tablespoons of butter ( 1/2 cup) with 3/4 cup of sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Sift in flour, baking powder and salt and add remaining lemon juice and almond extract. Stir until ingredients are incorporated. Batter will be thick.
4.*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5.*Spread batter in cake pan and cover with sliced pears. Dot with tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar, then scatter almonds on top. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and dot with remaining butter.
6.*Bake about 50 minutes, until very lightly browned. Allow cake to cool slightly before removing sides of pan. If desired sprinkle finished cake with eau de vie de poire. Serve cake warm or at room temperature. Do not refrigerate. Whipped cream, ice cream or bittersweet chocolate sauce go well with it.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings. Jacques Pepin’s Braised Pears in Caramel Sauce (Adapted from ''A French Chef Cooks
at Home,’’ Simon & Schuster) 6medium-size pears, not too ripe 4tablespoons sugar Ystick sweet butter 1cup heavy cream.
1.*Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.*Peel pears and cut in half lengthwise. Remove cores. Place pear halves flat side down in single layer in 1 or 2 large baking or gratin dishes. Sprinkle sugar over pears and dot with butter.
3.*Place in oven and bake 35 minutes. By this time sugar should have caramelized and pears should be tender when pierced with point of knife. If pears are not tender continue cooking 5 to 10 minutes. Pour cream over pears and return to oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more, basting every 5 minutes with cream.
4.*Cream should have reduced and thickened and turned nice ivory color. If sauce seems to be separating, add a tablespoon or two of hot water.
5.*Remove pears from oven, allow to cool slightly. Serve directly from baking dish.
Yield: 6 servings.
NOTE: This dessert takes 45 to 50 minutes to cook and should be served within 10 minutes of leaving the oven.
IN ALL THEIR DELICIOUS VARIETY
Bosc - A long, tapering neck distinguishes this pear, whose sandy-textured skin ranges in color from green to yellow, with an overlay of brown. Its ivory flesh has a rich texture and flavor. Excellent for eating and cooking. In season from October through June.
Comice - This large, rotund pear has thick green skin and extremely juicy, buttery, aromatic flesh. It is fragile and very sweet and is considered by many to be the best eating pear. In season from October through June.
Bartlett - This medium-to-large bell- shaped fruit has a thin skin with white speckling, which changes from green to yellow when ripe, and sweet, juicy flesh. In Europe it is known as the Williams or Williams Bon Chretien. Good for eating and cooking. In season from July through December.
Red Bartlett - Identical to the yellow Bartlett except for the bright red skin, the red Bartlett was developed in the late 1950’s and has become increasingly popular. It is usually more expensive than a regular Bartlett. In season from July through December.
Anjou - A medium-to-large, plump green pear, Anjou offers juicy, sweet flesh and fine texture. Herbert Diede, manager of and fine texture. Herbert Diede, manager of the Oregon-Washington-California Pear Inthan other varieties and should be the pear of choice late in the season. Use for cooking and eating. Available October to June.
Forelle - Medium-small, this slender golden pear has a red blush or streaking and offers smooth white flesh and a delicate flavor. Use as an attractive addition to a fruit bowl. In season from November to March.
Seckel - A tiny, rounded pear with thick olive-drab to reddish skin, the Seckel has firm but sweet flesh. Excellent for eating or cooking, especially in chutneys or spiced conserves. In season from October to December." - http://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/24/garden/plentiful-pears-a-guide-to-buying-and-eating-them.html?pagewanted=all
