As we head into fall, let&#;s celebrate all the wonderful new produce making an appearance, such as the delightful Asian pear.  Asian pears are known for their crisp apple-like texture and sweet juicy floral flavor. Most varieties have a round or oval shape and stay firm even when ripe. These distinct features set them apart from more familiar &#;pear-shaped&#; European pears, which soften in texture as they mature.   

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Asian pears are widely popular in many Asian countries, including China, Korea, India and Japan, and have been for centuries. The fruit was brought to California by Chinese immigrants in the s and today there are many different varieties in the USA.  

Fun Fact: In China, it&#;s considered bad luck for friends to share a pear, because the Chinese Mandarin words for &#;to share a pear&#; also mean &#;to separate&#;.  

Asian pears are best appreciated uncooked, as they have a high&#; water content, compared to most fruits. The sugar is so high in Asian pears they are used to tenderize meat in Korean cuisine; there is even a &#;Pear Museum and Orchard for Tourists&#; located in Naju, Korea.   

They come in various skin colors, ranging from dark bronze to yellow, to green. The skin is usually thin and may have a slight russeting or speckled appearance. Some popular varieties include, Hosui, Kosui, Chojuro, Shinseki and 20th Century.   

North Americans may be relatively late to the Asian pear party, but we&#;re catching up, along with New Zealand and Australia. The California Asian pear season is just getting started.  Just don&#;t miss out on this very special refreshing fragrant fall fruit!  

New & Exciting!

Abate Fetel Pear: (pronounced ah-BAH-tay-fuh-) Long considered &#;Italy&#;s favorite pear,&#; there was a time when these weren&#;t available outside of Europe. But the secret&#;s out now, and these delicious pears are ready to move. These long-neck pears have a wonderfully distinct sweetness, and should be eaten when crisp. 

Bosc Pear: California-grown Bosc have started. Bosc are unique for their color: a warm cinnamon brown with russeting and also for their elegant shape with long, curved neck. Bosc pears have a more firm, dense flesh than other pear varieties, so they are ideal for use in baking, broiling or poaching.  Of course, their honey sweet flavor with hints of spice is also delicious eaten out of hand. 

Bronx Grape (right): The cult favorite, the famous Bronx seedless grape has started from Lagier Ranches. Gorgeous, large pale pink berries with a light green blush, John Lagier says this crop is the cleanest he has seen in years. Packed in a paper clamshell. Delicate flavor, very sweet. Rare. Expensive. Priceless. 

Dragon Fruit: Moonland Organics in Southern California has started their awesome new crop! Hot pink flesh! 

Hamburg Muscat Grape: Farmer Gena Nonini of Marian Farms has the best crop she&#;s ever had this season (hooray!) The Hamburg Muscat has soft dark purple skin, and large round berries.  Very sweet with strong muscat aroma/flavor. Expect a few very small seeds. Biodynamic, truly delicious and not to be missed!  

Hosui Asian Pear: Golden-brown russeted skin with extremely juicy, fine grain textured flesh. Rich flavor with a distinct brandy aroma.  

Candy Stripe Fig (left): Considered to be one of the best tasting of all varieties, Candy Stripe figs are light yellow with  green tiger-stripes, and crimson-colored pulp. They have a flavor similar to that of strawberry or raspberry jam. 

Keitt Mango: California-grown Keitts have arrived. The Keitt is left on the tree longer than other mango varieties, producing very sweet fruit. The fiber-free flesh offers a creamy texture with honey-sweet flavor and hints of lemon. The skin remains fully green when ripe; the golden flesh is soft to the touch. 

Kiwano Melon: AKA Horned Melon. On the outside, this exotic fruit is orange with horn-like spikes. Inside, it contains bright green flesh with edible seeds. The mild flavor is a cross between cucumber and kiwifruit. Enjoy fresh or use in smoothies, juices, cocktails or desserts! Kids will love the crazy shape and bright colors. 

Kiwi Berry: Coming soon! Season is expected to start early this year and may be available as early as the first week of September. Kiwi berries pack the same bright, fruity flavor as a classic green kiwifruit, but have an edible smooth thin skin. No fuzz on these adorable grape-size fruits! Perfect for kids as a healthy and unusual snack.   

Promotable

Black Mission Fig: Rich and sweet with a hint of berry flavor. Great to eat fresh, in tarts and jam, or savory dishes, even salads! Supply is strong from Maywood Farms, the premier organic fig farm in Northern California.   

Blueberry: Washington grower Willow Wind is into their late season varieties and expected to continue through mid-September. Enjoy these delicious berries while they last! 

Celery: Production is expected to be steady into next week on 24 & 30 count.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Chinese Snow Pear.

Cherry Tomato Re-sealable Pint (right): Beginning in early September, Del Cabo will transition from using traditional plastic clamshells to resealable plastic pints for their cherry, grape and mix heirloom tomatoes. The tub is 100% recyclable and the resealable label top is made from quality adhesive for a great repeated experience. This alternative to single-use plastic will save 170,000 pounds of plastic per year. Download promotion materials here. 

Concord Grape: This unique flavored variety is readily available at promotable pricing from Heinke Family Farm. Available until the steady rains come to Northern California. Quality is stellar&#;large berries bursting with grape jelly flavor in every bite!    

Flame Seedless Red Grape: One of the most popular fruits going this year! Who doesn&#;t love fresh grapes? 

Pluot: Still plenty of pluots for the taking! The Flavor Queen has greenish-yellow skin and amber flesh with sweet apricot flavor. Honeypunch have deep dark red skin, red flesh and a delicious tropical flavor. 

Roma Tomato: Supply is plentiful from local growers! 

Asian pears are true pears, but in terms of figure, they look more like apples. These yellow-green fruit tend to be round and so plump that you want to cup them in your hands and just stare at their lightly speckled skin for a moment before you take the first juicy bite.

We also go by: pyrus pyrifolia, Japanese pear, and Korean Giant.

As with most things in life though, there are exceptions: Some Chinese varieties of Asian pears have the standard pyriform, or pear-shaped, figure that we associate with European pears. And Asian pears can have considerable variation in their skin too: Some varieties have smooth skin, and although we often think of them as a warm sandy brown (1, below), they can also come in shades of yellow, green, and reddish.

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If you hear someone refer to an Asian pear as &#;russeted&#; (this condition isn&#;t limited to Asian pears&#;European pears and apples can have russeting too), this term refers to the skin having a slightly rough texture that is often described as &#;corky&#; or &#;net-like.&#; Russeting is brownish in color, and can cover just a small patch or an entire fruit. It&#;s a naturally occurring condition on some varieties of apples and pears, but it can also be a result of weather conditions.

More: Treat someone you love (like yourself) to a box of the best Asian pears around.

Asian pears are ready to eat as soon as you buy them&#;they&#;re picked when they&#;re ripe. Unlike other types of pears, which you want to eat when they have a bit of give to them, ripe Asian pears are firm. Even though they&#;re hard, they still bruise easily, which is why you often see Asian pears sporting foam net sweaters for protection.

Asian pears will continue to ripen after picking, so if you&#;re not going to get to them quickly, keep them in the refrigerator&#;but let them come back up to room temperature before eating to enjoy their full flavor.

If you&#;ve got more Asian pears than you know what to do with (and in that case, what time should we come over?), you can freeze them for later. Our friends at Frog Hollow Farm recommend coring your Asian pears (peeling first is optional, depending on your personal preference and how you&#;ll be using them), placing halves or slices on a baking sheet, and then freezing. After they&#;re frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container&#;you'll be prepared when the urge for pear cake strikes.

10 Ways to Use Asian Pear

Asian pears are arguably best eaten out of hand, with a sturdy napkin to catch the juice dribbling down your chin. But sometimes it's good to change things up, so here are all the ways we like to use Asian pear:

• Try juicing them: Enjoy some Asian pear juice in your morning juice blend and save some to make Korean barbecue short ribs.
• Use Asian pears as a garnish: Let them get boozy in a glass of mulled white wine or chop them up into a celery leaf and blue cheese relish for sprinkling over celery soup.
• Slice them up: As Elizabeth Schneider, author of Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference, notes, they're "so crisp-firm they can be cut paper-thin, their nectar welling up and pouring off each slice." Use your Asian pear slices in a salad with leafy greens, red onion, and cashews or in a greens-free salad with crunchy celery and fennel.
• They work in sauces too: Try this Asian Green Sauce, where they mingle with shiso, miso, and daikon.
• Use an Asian pear as a mug, like in this warm pear toddy. Don't forget to eat your mug.

Tarter and crisper than their Bosc or D'Anjou counterparts, they're great for cooking:

Asian Pear Recipes

• Kalbi-Style Flank Steak
• Miso Black Cod
• Crunchy Kale & Asian Pear Salad With Granola
• Celery Risotto With Asian Pear & Shiso
• Mulled White Wine With Pear Brandy

More: Want your own box of Asian pears? Frog Hollow Farms grows the best ones around.

Tell us: What's your favorite way to use Asian pear? 

Photos by James Ransom

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