Yellow Bartlett
August
Flavor: Sweet, very aromatic, considered the definitive “pear flavor”
Flesh: White to cream color, firm, crispy, fine grained
Storage: Keeps 30-40 days refrigerated
Misc: Primary choice for canned halves, puree, and most pear juice and nectar in the U.S
Note: The traditional Bartlett turns from bright green to golden yellow as it ripens.
Red Bartlett
August
Flavor: Sweet, very aromatic, considered the definitive “pear flavor”
Flesh: White to cream color, firm, crispy, fine grained
Storage: Keeps 30-40 days refrigerated
Misc: Primary choice for canned halves, puree, and most pear juice and nectar in the U.S
Note: The red Bartlett turn a bright red as they ripen. The flavors are usually the same for the red and yellow Bartletts.
Yellow Asian - Nijisseiki
August
Flavor: Mildly sweet with some tartness near the core, aromatic
Flesh: Crisp, firm, grainy, very juicy
Storage: Keeps a week at room temperature or up to three months in refrigeration
Misc: Not a good baking pear, but a good snacking pear. The smooth, yellow skin bruises easily.
Brown Asian - Hosui
August
Flavor: Mildly sweet with some tartness near the core, aromatic
Flesh: Firm, crisp, grainy, very juicy
Storage: Keeps a week at room temperature or up to three months in refrigeration
Misc: Not a good baking pear, but a very good snacking pear. The golden brown skin bruises easily.
Bosc
September
Flavor: Mildly spicy, honey-sweet
Flesh: Dense, crisp and crunchy, fine grained, juicy
Storage: Extremely long keeper when kept at 30 degrees Fahrenheit
Misc: Noteworthy for its attractive appearance, russeting can cover some, or more often all, of the fruit and imparts a pleasantly rough texture like course paper to the skin, excellent canning and baking.
D'Anjou
September
Flavor: Aromatic, mild sweet, slightly acidic
Flesh: Soft, white, juicy, slightly gritty texture
Storage: Up to three months if kept well refrigerated
Misc: Greenish to yellow when ripe, good for fresh eating
Note: This pear can be found in both red and green, but the flavors and uses are the same for both colors.
