Photograph by Bennett Pruitt
I love all pear varieties, but I am particularly fond of the delicate Asian pears sometimes referred to as "apple pears." There are more than 25 varieties, but only 3 are common in the grocery stores. Although most varieties are similar to an apple's shape with light brown freckled skin, the Yali variety is more pear-shaped with a light yellow hue and soft skin. Korean varieties also have a light color and silky smooth skin, and common varieties have brown sandpaper-rough skin.
When you see them in your stores, clothed in foam-mesh jackets to prevent bruising, you know they are special and fragile. The white flesh is very crunchy like a super crisp apple, but a lot juicier and subtly gritty. The taste is sweet in a mild pear flavor with a hint of melon.
Buy pears when they are firm and fragrant. Store at room temperature for a few days to make them softer. I normally keep them in a fridge and they will last for a few weeks (actually in my kitchen that isn’t quite true since I eat them everyday).
My favorite way to eat Asian pears is just plain raw. You may use them in salads or slaws—wherever apples can be tossed in, so can these pears. You can also cook them in butter and sugar as you would in caramelized apples and serve them with crepes or over ice cream. I don’t really recommend using them in pies or other desserts as they contain high water content, plus they're a little too expensive to hide the flavors in baked goods.
Here's an easy and quick side dish salad that goes beautifully with any dinner:
1 Asian pear, thinly sliced
1-2 tbsp. crumpled blue cheese
1-2 tbsp. walnuts, coarsely chopped
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Arrange pear slices neatly onto a salad plate, sprinkle cheese and walnuts over the pears, and drizzle a little bit of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
