Pear Ripening Pt 2
With Today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. The need to spend a few days ripening fresh pears shouldn’t keep you from enjoying these delicious Northwest treats. The time spent is worth the wait!Kathy Stephenson, with Pear Bureau Northwest, says there are a few key things to look for …
STEPHENSON … “Basically, you really need to know the condition of that pear when you bring it home. So, at the grocery store, you’re going to lift that pear up and you’re going to see if it’s ripe of if it needs ripening.”
Stephenson says “check the neck,” the narrow end of the pear, to see if there’s any give …
STEPHENSON … “You can tell at the grocery store what stage they’re at or when you bring them home, if they’re ripe and ready, you put them in the fridge. But, mostly they’re not going to be so you’re going to put them on the counter in a fruit bowl. The most important thing is, when you bring that fruit home, what condition is it, am I going to store it to ripen longer on the counter or, if it’s ready, I’ll put it in the fridge.”
And, so worth the effort …
STEPHENSON … “Absolutely, they’re so delicious when they’re ripe and juicy. Each of us has a different preference for the texture and once you’ve determined what you prefer it makes all the difference in the world and you’ll end up being a frequent pear buyer for sure.”
Stephenson says bananas can help the ripening process …
STEPHENSON … “Absolutely, the banana and even the avocado and apple give off ethylene. In our older communications, we would say put them in a paper sack and put a banana in there and close it down and you’re going to capture that ethylene gas and that’s going to help your pear to ripen faster.”
Go to USAPears.org to find out more.