Seasoned Shopper – July 2026

   Pears come to mind quickly when I think about mid-summer fruit.
   The Sacramento area and Delta farms produce some of the first Bartlett pears of the season. Bartletts are a type of European pear, characterized by the “bell” shape, soft to semi-soft flesh and yellow to reddish skin color.
   Bartletts still account for the largest portion of the crop, but during the next few months several other varieties arrive at market. As the pear season progresses you’ll find new crop green-skinned D’Anjou, small sweet Seckels, long-necked Bosc and greenish yellow or dark 
red Comice.
   A few French Butter pears also make their appearance, but they are fragile and require special handling to prevent bruising.
   All types of European pears must hang on the tree long enough to fill with the starches that convert to sugar during ripening at room temperature. At this stage they are still firm, but if left on the tree too long, they become soft and mushy. This unusual necessity of ripening the fruit off the tree is a bonus for transporting, since the sturdy fruit ships with little resulting damage.
   To speed up the ripening process, place European type pears in a loosely closed paper bag for three to five days. Once ripe, the stem end yields slightly to gentle thumb pressure and the fragrance is notable. Resist temptation to squeeze the bulbous bottom of the pear since the fruit bruises easily.
   Crisp, juicy Asian pears will also make their way to market soon. Unlike European-type pears, they are picked ripe and ready to eat. No waiting. Sometimes referred to as a pear-apple because of their roundish shape and apple-like texture, they are a true pear and not a hybrid. Most common in our area are the Hosui, Shinseki and Twentieth Century.
   Store ripe pears in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. European types keep for three to four days and Asian pears six to eight weeks.
   Interesting bits of knowledge about pears
   The brownish netting (russeting) on the skin of some varieties is an indication of ripeness and does not affect their flavor or quality.
   To keep sliced pears from browning, place in a mixture of one tablespoon fresh lemon juice and one cup of water for three to four minutes. Pat dry before using.
   All commercial fresh pears in California are harvested by hand, and that’s a lot of pears – approximately 117,000 tons of pears are picked annually.
   Pears are members of the rose family and related to apples, plums and cherries.

Pear Crisp
   4 large Bartlett pears or cubed Asian pears (if you like more crispness)
   2 tablespoons lemon juice
   ½ cup packed brown sugar
   1 cup rolled oats
   1/3 cup flour
   ¾ to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
   ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
   1/3 cup melted butter

   Peel, core and slice pears into a lightly greased and floured 8” by 8” baking dish. Sprinkle with juice. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium size mixing bowl. Add butter and mix to combine. Sprinkle crumb mixture over pears. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until pears are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve with ice cream or frozen yogurt.
   Serves 6.

   The Orinda Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Orinda Way in Orinda Village. More information is available at cccfm.org, Facebook.com/OrindaFarmersMarket and Instagram@OrindaFarmersMarket or call the market hotline at 925.322.6228.