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I really liked the pear paired with the Korean noodles—an appealing combination of cool salty-sour and succulent sweet, a fusion of flavor possibilities to appreciate. *
Tomatoes in Michigan at this time of year are very sorry approximations of their savory-umami-summer sweetness. For an open-minded person there are many wonderful fruit alternatives available here: mango, papaya, persimmon, kumquat, grapefruit and orange, apple, and pear.

There is a bumper crop of pears: anjous, barletts, comices, and boscs. And for the first time, Asian pears are now displayed in plenty with the others. Previously, they were among the more exotic fruit, each wearing a little lacy cap.

Asian pear, Red Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou

European pears picked green: they ripen at room temperature (more quickly if placed with banannas). While the skin on Bartlett pears changes from green to yellow as they ripen, most varieties show little color change as they ripen. Because pears ripen from the inside out, the best way to judge ripeness is to “Check the Neck:” apply gentle thumb pressure to the neck, or stem end of the pear. If it yields to gentle pressure, then the pear is ripe. Refrigerate pears to slow further ripening.

Red Bartlett, Anjou, Asian pear anjou, red bartlett, Asian pear

Asian pears differ from the traditional European ones. These pears are usually round, firm to touch when ripe, and are ready to eat after harvest. Asian pears reach prime quality when they ripen on the tree, like an apple and peach. These pears will be crisp, juicy, and slightly sweet with some tartness, especially near the core. Asian pears are known for keeping well. Asian pears are selected by smell rather than variations in firmness. Unlike other pears that yield to gentle pressure when ripe, Asian pears are ripe even when they are extremely firm. Store pears a week at room temperature or up to three months in the refrigerator.

Pyrus pyrifolia is a pear tree species native to China, Japan, and Korea. The tree’s edible fruit is known by many names, including: Asian pear, Chinese white pear, nashi (Japanese: ナシ) or nashi pear, Japanese pear, Korean pear, Taiwan pear, African pear, sand pear, apple pear, salad pear, bapple, papple, bae (Korean: 배), or li (Chinese: 梨). In South Asia, the fruit is known as nashipati or nashpati.

*(though the color was pretty, perhaps I would prefer the pear pared: the skin was a bit tough.)
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