Pears

This week in your boxes you will receive pears! Be sure to check each of the pears for ripeness.

• If the flesh is very firm and there is no "give" to the stem end, they need more time to ripen. If you store your pears in the refrigerator, you will slow the ripening process.
• To hurry the ripening process, keep pears at room temperature, each piece individually wrapped in paper, or enclosed in a paper bag ventilated with a few holes. Check them with some frequency.
• Grandma Barbara once said that pears ripen from the inside out. Looks can be deceiving so test the stem end for that slight "give" to tell you when the pear is ready.

We recommend that you serve fresh pears at room temperature rather than cold in order to savor the fullness of the taste and aroma. However, Asian pears such as Hosui (pictured above), should be kept cool, stored in the refrigerator and served chilled. This enhances their sweet juiciness and crisp, crunchy texture.