US Red Pears

Those fat red Anjou pears have long won my affection. They do not appear in our supermarkets for some time. Recently these long-necked U.S.A. red pears replace them. Without hesitation, I buy some to find out their texture, taste and sweetness. With a knife in hand, I peel off the skin of one after it is washed. The flesh, nice for a salad, is tender, moist, a little sweet and sour to taste.

From one web-page, I found these lines about pears. They run like this:
“A ripe pear is a sweet pear.

If a pear is left at room temperature, it slowly reaches its peak maturity. A sweet and succulent flavour appears as it ripens from the inside out.

The best way to judge ripeness is by applying gentle pressure to the neck of the pear with a thumb. If it yields to pressure, it is ripe.

To ripen pears, leave firm, unripe pears at room temperature so that they can ripen. Once the pear is ripe, it can be refrigerated to slow the ripening process and saved for use up to five days later.

Like many fruits, the flesh of cut or peeled pears will eventually become brown owing to natural oxidation. To keep your pears looking appetizing and to prevent browning, dip them in a mild solution of 50% water and 50% lemon juice.

Ripened pears can be used at once or put under refrigeration (35º to 45º F) until you want to use them. Refrigeration will delay further ripening.

For speedy ripening, place under-ripe pears in a fruit bowl at room temperature near other ripening fruit like bananas, which naturally give off ethylene and will help speed up the ripening process.

Thoroughly wash pears immediately prior to eating or preparation. Under cold, drinkable water, scrub the entire exterior of the pear, taking extra care to cleanse the indentations near the stem (at the top) and calyx (at the bottom) of the pear. Washing the entire exterior of the pear will help to eliminate dirt and/or commonly occurring bacteria that may be found on the fruit’s surface. Wash fruit even if you plan on peeling it."