Pear

About

Pear is less acidic and less firm than apple, though sturdier than its delicate reputation suggests, and its characteristic flavor survives both canning and distillation into brandy. The Williams pear is most commonly used for canning, brandy, and flavored products, while the Doyenné du Comice, prized since the mid-19th century, is a top choice for eating raw. Bosc and Anjou pears, like Comice, are "butter pears" known for rich, aromatic flavor and soft texture. Pear's sweet, wine-like character pairs well with sharp cheeses and tannic ingredients such as walnuts and red wine. Nashi, or Asian, pear has a crisper, juicier texture with a flavor closer to a mix of pear and melon.

Pairs well with pear

• WoAlmondAlmond and pear form a classic, restrained pairing, used for example in a pear-and-almond-croissant bread pudding: sliced almond…
• SpCinnamonPoached pears benefit from cinnamon and wine, since an unflavored syrup leaves them bland; cinnamon similarly improves baked pear desserts…
• FrAppleApple and pear were the first two fruit trees grown in Britain, making this one of the oldest fruit pairings, one traditional dish poaches…
• RoChocolateA little chocolate enhances pear's sweetness, but too much overwhelms it, as can happen with poached pears in chocolate sauce; poaching…
• MeBeefAsian (nashi) pear and beef appear in two Korean dishes.
• MePorkPears pair less often with pork than apples do, since apples' acidity better cuts pork's fattiness, but pears work well with leaner cuts…
• GrAniseAsian (Nashi) pears, with their crisp, apple-like bite, pair well raw with thinly sliced fennel bulb in salads.
• MeChickenChicken or partridge braised with pear, bacon, and shallots in stock is a warming dish in which the pear absorbs the rich cooking liquid…
• ChHard CheeseA classic pairing celebrated in old French and Italian proverbs, which praise the match of pear and cheese while warning not to waste it…
• ChGoat CheeseGrazalema, a Spanish goat's (or sheep's) cheese from Cadiz, has natural notes of ripe pear and nectarine, according to The Murray's Cheese…
• CrBananaBanana-flavored candy and pear drops share the fruit ester isoamyl acetate -- the same compound honeybees release as an alarm pheromone…
• WoWalnutA mellow autumn salad pairing, classically brightened with blue cheese, sliced pears tossed with bitter leaves like watercress or…
• ChBlue CheesePear's delicate flavor can be overwhelmed by strong blue cheese, but milder varieties like the sweet, milky Fourme d'Ambert work well.
• CiCardamomThe pair works in an upside-down cake or tarte Tatin, but is especially good when pear keeps some crisp fruitiness as a contrast to…
• WoHazelnutHazelnut oil loses some of its flavor when cooked but is very flavorful drizzled raw over vegetables or worked into a vinaigrette.
• BrProsciuttoA classic, understated pairing, pear and prosciutto need little more than to be served together, though they also appear on pizzas, in…
• WoChestnutLeftover roasted chestnuts pair well with chopped pear, dark turkey meat, and leafy greens in a simple salad, a good way to use up…
• ChWashed-rind CheeseLivarot, a pungent, buttery Normandy cheese, pairs well with pears grown in the same region, combined in a tart, served simply sliced, or…