A 'Christmas' Pear - or so they told me
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381960)
Rockingham, Australia
December 16, 2020 6:50am CST
I wondered why I had nothing to write about then remembered I had a few photos stored on my camera that I hadn’t downloaded. I took them on our way to Ravensthorpe, Western Australia, when we visited there recently.
We stopped to buy some cherries to take to the friends we were going to stay with and they had what they called ‘Christmas pears’ on sale. They gave me one to taste but they weren’t terribly ripe so I didn’t buy any. However, they are tiny, real miniatures. Have you ever heard of them before? I haven’t.
20 people like this
19 responses
@GardenGerty (169453)
• United States
16 Dec 20
I have not heard of these here. I have seen red pears and brown pears, and always the green ones but they are always about the size of apples.
4 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (91064)
• United States
16 Dec 20
I've never heard of Christmas pears.. Are they supposed to be sweet?
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (91064)
• United States
16 Dec 20
@JudyEv wow that is very tiny but I bet they're cute
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Dec 20
@Marilynda1225 They were certainly cute. I love miniatures of any sort - just the look of them.
@Fleura (34957)
• United Kingdom
16 Dec 20
Never heard of those. Are they actual pears? Are they just calling them that as a sales gimmick? It must be just about mid-summer for you, right? That's quite early for pears I suppose so maybe they just call them that as an alternative to early pears?
2 people like this
@Fleura (34957)
• United Kingdom
16 Dec 20
@JudyEv I've never come across them, and if I try searching online of course I just find lots of Christmas recipes for pears or decorations! I did find this article, in which it says 'Christmas pear' is an alternative name for Comice pears (number 7 on the list):
And also this, which has rather a dim view of one variety!
https://www.nationalperrypearcentre.org.uk/pear/christmas-pear/
https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/types-and-varieties-of-pears-delicious-recipes-article#:~:text=Alternate%20Names%3A%20Doyenne%20du%20Comice%2C%20Christmas%20pear%20Characteristics%3A,they%20are%20very%20sweet%2C%20creamy%20textured%2C%20and%20juicy.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Dec 20
@Fleura Thanks for the link. This one was more the shape of the first two, with a longer neck than the Comice. It was quite crunchy but maybe it wasn't quite ripe. I only recognise 'Bartlett' pear but I've never taken much notice about pear varieties. And we do have what's called 'nashi pears' here which seems are the Asian variety.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Dec 20
They look and taste like normal pears but they are only about an inch long. You can see my fingers in the photo. I've never seen such small ones. I doubt they're picking 'real/proper' pears so small just to try to sell them at Christmas.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91299)
• United States
16 Dec 20
I had not heard of them at all Judy. They are very cute. I love pears too.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91299)
• United States
17 Dec 20
@JudyEv Oh never thought of that bet its delicious Judy
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Dec 20
@RebeccasFarm Pears can be a bit bland sometimes.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
17 Dec 20
don't reckon i've e'er seen nor heard 'f such. so very tiny, not e'en a snack, lol.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
16 Dec 20
honestly have never heard of these. so cool thank you!!!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Dec 20
@DocAndersen This was more apple texture.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
17 Dec 20
@JudyEv pears have to have some firmness but mostly squishy texture. crunchy is apple territory
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (208823)
• United States
16 Dec 20
No, I haven't but I think I have seen some small pears before.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Dec 20
They have a pear taste but this one was quite crunchy.
@wolfgirl569 (135664)
• Marion, Ohio
16 Dec 20
I had not but it looks like a pear.
1 person likes this
