All About Pears

Their skins range from chipper yellows or greens to regal reds - but no matter what the color, pears pack plenty of sweetness for just 100 calories per midsize fruit. Eating one out-of-hand. To make sure fruit is ripe, press gently with thumb near base of stem; flesh should yield slightly.

• Yellow Bartlett Bright yellow hue; typical pear shape of rounded bottom and smaller stem end with distinct "shoulder" in between; definitive pear flavor. Choose for cooking.
• Seckel Usually olive-skinned with dark maroon haze; small, fat and round; ultra-sweet. Pack in brownbag lunches, or pickle.
• Red Anjou Burnished burgundy tint; otherwise similar to Anjou; more oval than pear-shaped; mild and juicy. Slice into salads.
• Forelle Yellow with brilliant red blush or freckling; smallish; quite sweet and juicy. Purchase for easy-to-tote snacks.
• Bosc Gentle brown cast may remain or give way to pale yellow; long, graceful neck; strong, sweet-tasting. Poach, bake or broil.
• Comice Pale green with possible reddish tinge; rounded and can grow quite large; sweetest and juiciest of all. pair with cheese; serve for dessert.
• Anjou Bright, crisp green color; egg shape with larger bottom tapering to smaller top; sweetly mellow. Select for all-purpose use.
• Red Bartlett Vibrant crimson skin; otherwise similar to Yellow Bartlett. Successfully substitute for yellows in any recipe.

TO SLICE: Cut lengthwise through pear, including core. Then slice each half into quarters. With a sharp paring knife, carefully cut away core and any seeds in each section.

TO POACH: Slice off stem and end from peeled pear; use melon baller to remove seeds from bottom. Until ready to cook, place prepared pear in water with a touch of added lemon juice.

by Robert Yamarone - Family Circle