Re: Nashi Pear
riedy wrote:
>
> I have a tree on my property that I have long suspected was some sort of
> Asian pear. The discussion on the Nashi pear again piques my interest as
> to what it might really be. The fruit is more pear shaped than apple
> like, yellow with an occasional pink blush.
I do not think it could be a Nashi Pear, they are like a very round
apple in shape, and usually remain a pale golden-yellow, even slightly
brownish, but never (AFAIK) at at all reddish.
Someone else has suggested quince, and this does sound much more likely.
The quince tree has a particularly pretty blossom, quite large, with
pink buds opening to white, the foliage is a light, slightly yellowish,
green, our own trees have rather twisted twigs, reminiscent of a
"tortured willow". The fruits are typically large, somewhat lumpy in
shape, and - on our two trees at least - they are like a somewhat
"upside down" pear, i.e. rather bigger in diameter towards the top than
the bottom of the fruit. The skin of the fruit tends to have a slight
downiness ("fluff") on its surface, although this rubs off on any
contact.
The ripening you describe does sound like quince. They are useles for
eating raw, but as they have a strong, very distinctive flavour, they
are excellent as a cooked fruit. You get them when well ripened, but
before the mushy stage, cut them up and then cook them in whatever way
suits you. They can be stewed to eat with other stewed fruit (the
flavour may be too strong on their own). They make a really gorgeous jam
or conserve or jelly! The colour becomes a very bright and
characteristic red-orange when used for this.
The other possibility, I suppose, would be a medlar (another
closely-related species). I know little about these, except by
reputation. Medlars are left until they /do/ go mushy ("rotten" is the
usual description!) at which time it is said that they have the most
heavenly flavour! Medlars were a popular fruit in England a long time
ago, but have now become quite rare. Those who do have one, and are
prepared to be patient with the fruit, tend to rave about the flavour.
Tony
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata,
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
