Bartlett
Sweet, juicy, and very flavorful, the Bartlett is America’s most popular variety. It ripens at room temperature, turning from bright green to mild yellow, and yielding to gentle pressure. The Bartlett is perfect for fruit salads or slicing into lettuce salads with crumbled blue cheese, and also excellent for canning and cooking.
Bosc
A popular dessert pear, the Bosc pear is highly aromatic, with dense, sweet-spicy flesh that is ideal for baking, poaching and cooking. When ripening, the brown skin of the Bosc pear does not change color; instead, the stem end shrivels when fully ripe.
Seckel
Small in size but big on sweetness, the Seckel pear does not change color when ripening – it simply becomes soft around the stem when ripe. It’s an excellent choice for children’s snacks, as a desert when paired with cheese, or baked into tartlets or cookies.
Red Pear
The beautiful Red Pear has the same flavor and texture as the Bartlett, but its unique color adds a gourmet touch to salads, desserts and cooking. As its name implies, when the Red Pear is fully ripe, it displays a bright red skin.
Forelle
The Forelle’s small size and juicy sweetness make it well suited for kids’ lunches, paired with cheese in appetizers or simply eaten out-of-hand. As the Forelle ripens, its greenish skin turns bright yellow, adding flecks of crimson when fully ripe.
French Butter
The French Butter is a good autumn pear, popular for desserts, with a sweet and buttery flavor and a smooth texture that is aromatic. It is a specialty pear and therefore not always easy to find, but definitely enjoyed once it is.