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Asian pears, also known as apple pears, are round fruits with a sweet flavor and crunchy texture. They don’t require ripening and have a longer shelf life than other pears. They are primarily grown in California and can be expensive due to low yields. They are often eaten raw or in salads, but not in baked recipes.
The Asian pear is a round fruit similar in shape and size to an apple, and is sometimes called the apple pear. It has a similar crunch and texture to that of an apple, but retains more sweetness and flavor than a pear. It was once grown primarily in China and Japan, but became popular in the United States due to the demand for immigrants from Asia. This demand, in turn, helps increase the popularity of this fruit among other residents. In the United States, it is primarily grown in the Central Valley of California.
Asian pear aficionados are especially fond of the fact that the fruit doesn’t require the ripening process of other pears. While most pears should be picked while green and ready to ripen, this variety is picked ripe and ready to eat. It has a longer shelf life than other pears, especially when refrigerated. The skin is prone to bruising, however, if the fruit is handled roughly during the picking, packing, or shipping process.
There are actually numerous Asian pear cultivars. The most commonly seen varieties in the United States are those with a bumpy yellow to brownish skin and a round shape. Several cultivars are teardrop-shaped and have green to yellow skin.
The Asian pear can be found in most grocery stores from July to September, depending on the area and the individual climatic variations of each season. A summer season with lower than normal temperatures could result in slower ripening and buyers may be able to purchase pears as late as October or even November in some locations.
Caring for Asian pear trees is very labor intensive and they need to be pruned extensively to provide good sized fruit. This means that the yield on the trees is low. Diseases and illnesses can also affect the tree’s production. Organic varieties tend to have the lowest yields as there are fewer organic pesticides that can safely eliminate late blight or disease. Because the fruit enjoys such popularity, but the crop yield is low, it can be relatively expensive.
Asian pears are often eaten on their own, but they can also be excellent in fruit and green salads. They are not usually used in baked recipes, as cooking tends to rob the pear of its unique crunchiness.
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