"Initially, it's their voluptuous contours that captivate. The long, slender necks and arched stems of Bosc pears, the round, silhouette of Comice. The gentle curves of the bell-shaped Bartlett. In the marketplace most often, they are as hard as boulders. They feel more like baseballs than fruit. Not a whisper of sublime sweetness. Not a whiffet of sensuous aroma. They are picked mature but before ripened, then kept in controlled-atmosphere storage."
"But ripening pears at home isn't difficult, you just need to plan on buying firm pears three to five days before you plan to eat or cook with them. The bag-ripening process works like a charm. Place those ever-so-firm pears in a paper bag and loosely fold the top closed. Let them sit at room temperature, checking them every day until the area at the base of the stem slightly yields to gentle pressure."
Autumn brings pear varieties with distinctive shapes: long necks and arched stems of Bosc, round silhouette of Comice, and bell-shaped Bartlett. Market pears are often very firm because they are picked mature but before ripening and kept in controlled-atmosphere storage. Tree-ripened pears become mushy due to ripening from the inside out. Home ripening requires buying firm pears three to five days ahead and using a paper bag loosely closed at room temperature. Check daily and test for slight give at the base of the stem; then use or refrigerate. Roasted pears work in savory and sweet dishes, pairing with pork, ice cream, or goat cheese.
Read at www.ocregister.com
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