Best French Pear Types
D'Anjou is a pear variety that originated in Belgium or France in the mid-19th century. The pears are medium to large in size with an egg-shaped appearance. The skin ranges from yellow to light or bright green. The flesh is aromatic and tender in texture, while the flavor is sweet and juicy.
Anjou is an all-purpose pear and it's eaten fresh, poached, baked, roasted, or grilled. The flesh is dense and suitable for higher temperatures.
Belle Angevine is a unique pear variety originating from the 17th century. The pears are very large and heavy, which is why they often drop from trees before picking. They have a green skin which becomes yellow, and then red–meaning they are ready to be picked.
Belle Angevine is usually cooked and used in the preparation of various desserts.
Beurré Bosc is a pear variety originating from Apremont and dating back to the early 1800s. The pear is easily recognized by its long, tapered neck and lengthy stalk. The white flesh is crisp and aromatic, while the flavors are sweet and spicy.
Beurré Bosc holds its shape well when it's baked or poached due to its firm flesh. The season of these pears starts in autumn and goes through spring. Interestingly, due to its shape and warm color, Beurré Bosc is often used in paintings, photography, and drawings.
Apples and pears from the Savoie region in France are unique in shape and taste because of the specific type of soil they grow on, the altitude gives them firm flesh, and the variations in climate in the region affect their ripening and prolong their shelf life.
The fruit has been awarded a status of superior organoleptic characteristics, measured by Thiault index, and it was the first French fruit to gain a protected PGI status in 1996. There are 22 varieties of Savoie apples and pears, 16 of which are apples and 6 are pears.
Doyenné du Comice is a pear variety originating from Angers in France, where it was first grown in the 1840s. The pear is plump and stubby with some russeting on the skin. The flesh is creamy-pink, juicy, and melting, while the flavor is slightly spicy.
It's also considered to be the best-flavored dessert pear and it's often served fresh as a dessert on its own. The skin is delicate and bruises easily, which is the reason why these pears are handled in a special way and not mechanically packaged.
Passe Crassane is a French pear variety originating from Rouen. The pear is medium to large in size and has russeted, greenish-yellow skin. The skin is thin and smooth, and the flesh is slightly coarse and grainy, yet soft and juicy. The flavors are aromatic, fruity, and sweet-tart with floral notes.
Passe Crassane is available from late winter through spring. The pears are often used in baking, poaching, and roasting. When raw, it can be sliced and enjoyed as a snack or used in salads and cheeseboards. It pairs well with ginger, hazelnuts, lemon, almonds, garlic, smoked fish, chocolate, and onions.
Beurré Hardy is a pear variety originating from Boulogne in France and dating back to 1830. The skin is rough and bronze in color with some russeting. The flesh is pink-tinged in color and buttery in texture, while the flavor is sweet and buttery with hints of flowers and rose water.
These pears are mostly eaten fresh or used in desserts, but Beurré Hardy can also be used in pork dishes or paired with nuts and blue cheese on a cheeseboard. They're available in the fall through early winter.
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