Check the neck…
In preparation of pear season, the Pear Bureau Northwest/USA Pears embarked on an eight-city tour to increase awareness around the oblong fruit. The tour, dubbed “The Time is Ripe“, occupied local supermarkets during the day to educate consumers on how to enjoy pears at the peak of ripeness. In the evening, dinners were hosted in one of each city’s premier restaurants to showcase the influence of the pear in a four-course menu. The Atlanta leg of the tour stopped at Ecco where Chef Craig Richards prepared an exquisite pear-centric menu.
Pears often go overlooked in favor of more prominent fruits like apples, bananas, and strawberries. But pears are rockstars in their own right and are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C. Surprisingly, 84% of consumers have no idea of how to tell when a pear is ripe. Over dinner the experts from USA Pears educated us on the best method to determine pear ripeness. Since pears ripen from the inside out, checking the neck is the optimal way to tell whether it’s ripe or not. When the neck is soft to the touch, the pear is ripe and ready to go.
We marveled at way in which Chef Craig Richards incorporated pears into each course. Highlighting the sweetness of the pears, Chef Richards was also able to make them savory. And with December being designated “National Pear Month”, the time is ripe to rediscover pears in cocktails, entrees, and desserts.
First Course
Pear & Fall Lettuce Salad
Second Course
Pear & Buffalo Mozzarella Ravioli
Third Course
Braised Veal Breast
Fourth Course
Pear Crostata with Marscarpone Gelato
USA Pears | National Pear Month – December
