Five things you might not know about pears
 

1.   Pears are an ancient fruit – they’ve been cultivated for more than 3000 years and originated in Western Asia and Europe.

2.   There are more than 3000 varieties of pears grown worldwide. Varieties grown commercially in Tasmanian are Beurre Bosc, Packham’s Triumph, Comice, Josphine, Corella and Winter Cole.

3.   In Tasmania, the major growing regions are the Huon Valley, Tamar Valley and the Tasman Peninsula.

4.   Pears are harvested in their juvenile state and continue to ripen after they’re picked.

5.   Pears are packed with fibre, Vitamin C and antioxidants.

Read more about pear varieties and how to use them, here.

Varieties grown commercially in Tasmanian are Beurre Bosc, Packham’s Triumph, Comice, Josphine, Corella and Winter Cole.

Five ways to use pears in Autumn dishes and desserts

Pears are perfect in warming dishes on cosy autumn evenings. Here are our five favourite ways to use pears in Autumn.

1.   In a crumble: this is such an easy and delicious way to use pears. Pears are juicier than apples so as long as you slice them thinly or chop them into small dice, they will cook in the time it takes to brown the crumble on top. Substitute pears for apples in this recipe.

2.   Poached: any pear is great poached but our pick is Beurre Bosc. They have a distinctive elongated shape and a naturally russeted cinnamon-coloured skin with white, juicy flesh. These Red Wine Poached Pears look wonderful as a dessert, poached whole and standing upright. 

3.   Baked: Gently roasted and caramelised in the oven, these Baked Caramel Pears are a low-effort dessert perfect for a Sunday night treat.

4.   With cheese: Pears pair perfectly with blue cheese and walnuts in this sophisticated entrée that’s deceptively easy to make.

5.   In a cake:  Pears bake brilliantly –this Rustic Pear and Lemon Cake is easy to make and with a dollop of crème fraiche, is the perfect autumn dessert.